DTI sends out wrong information

The Government has wasted more than £200,000 reprinting a leaflet that had wrongly set out guidelines for resolving disputes with members of staff.

The Conservatives have claimed that these rules were so complex that even Department of Trade and Industry officials were confused.

The regulations were first published on the DTI's website in May and sent to one million small firms in August. However, the 15-page pamphlet had to be reprinted and re-sent at a cost of over £200,000 when officials realised that it contained incorrect advice about when employees should be accompanied at hearings.

Gerry Sutcliffe, employment minister, said: "The reason for reprinting the material was that, had the original version been read as a stand alone document rather than, as intended, alongside the detailed guidance, some of the information could have been misleading. The Government is determined that small businesses should have the clearest possible guidance on the new requirements."

The Federation of Small Businesses has said the dispute regulations are "a potential minefield for small firms . . . whose impact has been underestimated".