Statistics on the sizes and strengths of older people have been published by the government in a new publication. It confirms that older people are smaller than average age adults. The average adult is 1755.1 mm high, compared with 1680 mm for a person aged 75 and over. The statistics are designed to help businesses...Read More

The London Stock Exchange was paralysed by a computer failure on 5 April 2000 which prevented trading until late afternoon. Computers were showing price information. The problems were exacerbated by the fact that this was the last day of the tax year when many taxpayers were seeking to sell investments to utilise their capital gains...Read More

From 6 April 2000 a new scheme is introduced to pay the national insurance on awards given to employees. This new scheme applies only if: the award is not in cash, such as goods or vouchers; the award is provided by a third party; and the third party gives the award because of the employment....Read More

Criticism of the way tax law is made has been voiced by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 2000. It notes that: the 101 hours of parliamentary time devoted to debating Finance Act 1999 led to just seven non-government amendments; the 1999 Act was more than three times the size of...Read More

Various measures have been announced to simplify and promote payroll giving. This has had a very low take-up in the UK despite being one of the main sources of charitable giving in the US. Only 1% of employers even offer the scheme, although 21% of employees said they would use it if available. The new...Read More

Income tax and national insurance deducted from workers’ pay while an administration order was in effect has the same statutory priority as tax when the administration order is made. Administration is a form of insolvency arrangement under which the administrator can keep a business alive in the hope of selling all or some of it....Read More

The government has announced plans to consider granting zero business rates to farms which are used for pony-trekking, riding lessons and livery stables. This is part of a £200 million package of support to help farmers. [2000]Read More

The government and seven banks have joined forces to fund a telephone helpline for small businesses that get into financial difficulties. The helpline is being launched in July 2000 and be available through the Small Business Service. The service will provide counselling and self-help advice. [2000]Read More

Two separate initiatives by the Department of Trade and Industry are intended to counter white collar crime. The first is the Management of Information programme under which six projects have been funded to find ways of countering hacking and similar computer-related crime. Other elements to be examined include: preventing malicious seizing up of Internet services;...Read More

Two directors have been disqualified for operating a Phoenix company fraud. International Pricebank Conferences Ltd maintained a respectable front in their business of organising conferences on international finance. Behind this front, the two disqualified individuals acted as shadow directors of various Phoenix companies which incurred all the debts and then were put into liquidation, leaving...Read More