latest news
Out With the Old and in With the New - CDM 2007: What You Need to Know 25 Apr 2007
( Construction and Engineering )
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (the "1994 Regulations") have been replaced. Instead, and with effect from 6 April 2007, the imaginatively named Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (the "2007 Regulations") are in force.
Miller and McFarlane (2006 UKHL 24) What does it all mean? 04 Dec 2006
( Family Law )
We are by now all familiar with the case of White –v- White (2000) which changed the direction of English Law in considering Financial Relief Applications in big money cases. Hitherto, the Court’s approach was to have regard to the parties’ reasonable needs and then to find the resources to meet those needs from the parties’ assets (and income). This would mean for the vast majority of ordinary people the wife would end up with the lion’s share of the assets as she needed to provide a home for the children, and the husband’s housing needs were less, and of secondary importance, to hers and the childrens.
Defamation on the internet - Bloggers, watch your keys!! 14 Nov 2006
A judge has ordered an internet blogger to pay £10,000 in compensation to Michael Keith-Smith, a prominent member of the UK Independence Party, for waging an abusive campaign against him on an internet bulletin board.
The EU's data retention directive - a critical overview 14 Nov 2006
Under the controversial Data Retention Directive, approved by the European Parliament in December 2005 and subsequently by the EU Council of Ministers in February 2006 data, including calling and called telephone numbers, the name and address of the subscriber or registered user to whom each number pertains, and name and address of the intended recipient and date and time of log-in and log-off, both of internet access and of access to the internet e-mail or telephony service will have to be retained by providers of publicly available electronic communications services or public communications networks (service providers) for a minimum of six months and up to a maximum of two years. It has been left up to individual EU member states to decide precisely how long within that range. There is also an option for individual member states to introduce longer periods where they face particular circumstances warranting an extension for a limited period. It does not require retention of the content of a communications session such as a telephone call; in fact this is positively prohibited.
Get ready for 6 April 2007 - the new construction industry scheme is coming! 14 Nov 2006
( Construction and Engineering )
Why are the rules being changed?
The new CIS regulations are to be found in the Income Tax (Construction Industry Scheme) Regulations 2005 and they will replace the 1993 Regulations, although many provisions of the 1993 Regulations relating to payment are carried over into the 2005 Regulations. They are designed to reduce the regulatory burden on the industry, improve compliance with tax obligations and to help construction businesses to get the employment status of their workers right.
