The File

2001

IR35 lands. A year dominated by the contractors' revolt, the PCG's legal challenge and a cooling IT market.

139 ARTICLES
2001

2001

18 DEC 2001MPs discuss 'narrow and restrictive' definition of 'an employee'MPs raised the issue of the need for clarification between the definitions of 'an employee' and 'a worker' during a debate over statutory dispute…POLITICS
14 DEC 2001IT contractors feel the cold of the December jobs marketConsultancies have reported billings from contract workers across all sectors to have fallen for the second month running in November.BUSINESS
10 DEC 2001Radical reform of work permits proposedLord Rooker, the Immigration and Citizenship Minister, has announced the Home Office is exploring new categories of work permits to help support…POLITICS
5 DEC 2001PCG Appeal Day 2: Don't let this get to ECJ, Plender asks courtOn the second day of the PCG's legal appeal, Mr Gerald Barling QC finished his address to the court and the Revenue's Dr Richard Plender took over.IR35
3 DEC 2001Overturn, refer or confirm: The IR35 Appeal according to RedstonAnne Redston, tax guru and author of the book 'IR35: Personal Service Companies,' believes the imminent legal appeal over IR35 could go one of the…IR35
22 NOV 2001BCC urges Government to scrap IR35 and define 'self-employed'A report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has urged the Government to repeal IR35 and work with business to define who is and who is not…IR35
21 NOV 2001Revenue launches competition for new IT suppliersThe Revenue has announced it will hold an open competition, code-named 'ASPIRE' (Acquiring Strategic Partners for the Inland Revenue), to find…POLITICS
21 NOV 2001Bring tax system into 21st century, urges CIOTJohn Whiting, President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), has called for a universal 'e-tax return' to replace the existing system…BUSINESS
14 NOV 2001Battersby case was like David and Goliath, says RedstonAnne Redston, tax expert and author of the book, 'IR35: Personal Service Companies', told delegates at an IR35 breakfast seminar in London she was…IR35
14 NOV 2001No change over IR35's five per cent ruleDawn Primarolo, Paymaster General, has said in Parliament there will be no change to IR35's five per cent rule.IR35
14 NOV 2001Is the only way up for the IT contracting market?Monthly market reports show a further drop in demand for IT contractors as well as a sharp fall in demand for permanent staff.BUSINESS
14 NOV 2001Visa extension only the beginning for UK-India IT relationsA recent announcement by Douglas Alexander, Minister for E-Commerce, to extend Indian IT workers' visas for working in the UK is the first in a set…IT
13 NOV 2001Survey puts almost a third of UK IT contractors 'on the bench'Twenty-nine per cent of IT contractors whose contracts finished in the last quarter are currently in-between contracts according to a survey…BUSINESS
9 NOV 2001Revenue chief hits out at The Times over staff strike articleInland Revenue chief Nick Montague has written a letter of complaint to Peter Stothard, Editor of The Times, in response to an article it published…POLITICS
9 NOV 2001'Iniquity of IR35's tax burden' discussed in WestminsterA recent MPs' debate on the subject of 'Small businesses and regulatory burden' has highlighted to the Government how excessive regulation and IR35…IR35
7 NOV 2001Contractors' training position 'unchanged' by suspension of ILAsIndividual Learning Accounts (ILAs) have been closed down by the Government amid reports of fraud and corruption, although the Paymaster General had…BUSINESS
7 NOV 2001Blair's drive to cut red tape welcomed by industryPrime Minister Tony Blair has announced that all Whitehall departments have been asked to identify areas of legislation that are ripe for reform as…POLITICS
6 NOV 2001The IT agency, the contractor and the economic downturnAs contractor rates have fallen in the current economic downturn, so too have agencies' margins fallen - some having been hit considerably harder…BUSINESS
5 NOV 2001Revenue wins first IR35 case before Special CommissionersAn IT contractor has lost his appeal against a Revenue decision that his contract came under IR35.IR35
2 NOV 2001CFT leaves contractors in the lurchContractors who had taken out Professional Indemnity, Employer's Liability or Public Liability insurance with the insurance group CFT have recently…BULLETIN
2 NOV 2001Reduce tax burden on business, says CIOTThe Government should reduce the administrative tax burden on business to help employers in a difficult trading period, according to John Whiting…BUSINESS
2 NOV 2001e-Minister explores democracy in the information ageDouglas Alexander, Minister for e-commerce, has called on the technology and internet community to work with Government to open up new ways to…POLITICS
1 NOV 2001Revenue to offer compensation for causing 'distress'The Inland Revenue has announced a new Code of Practice (COP1) which will offer compensation of between £25 - £500 to taxpayers if it believes it has…POLITICS
31 OCT 2001IT environment for e-Government success is in place, says PorterChristopher Porter, Cabinet Office Director of the e-economy, told UKTECH he believed a suitable environment for IT contractors was in place and…POLITICS
31 OCT 2001Latest fast track visa figures releasedAngela Eagle, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Europe, Community and Race Equality, has released the latest fast track visa and work permit…POLITICS
29 OCT 2001Management guru says contractors are future UK workforceCharles Handy, the author and social commentator, told the recent Recruitment Industry Resource conference at the Institute of Directors that the UK…BUSINESS
29 OCT 2001New EURIM Chairman to lead IT policy implementation?Brian White MP, the new Chairman of the European Informatics Market (EURIM), has said he will increase his Group's focus on the implementation and…IT
23 OCT 2001Revenue publishes updated IR35 Deemed Payment guideThe Inland Revenue has published an updated version of its Supplying Services: How to calculate the deemed payment leaflet.IR35
22 OCT 2001e-Envoy will head up UK e-Security boostThe e-Envoy, Andrew Pinder, is to oversee the introduction of digital signatures, smart cards for businesses and the public and will assist with…POLITICS
22 OCT 2001Government opens contracts to 500,000 SMEs500,000 newly incorporated Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) will be able to bid for Government contracts more easily following new financial…BUSINESS
18 OCT 2001Regulation Task Force concerned with competitivenessThe Better Regulation Taskforce has found encouraging signs that its five principles of good regulation are influencing Whitehall thinking.BUSINESS
15 OCT 2001Clients show preference for contractors over permanent staffDespite the current downturn, some recruitment agencies have reported an increase in billings from contract staff over the last month.BUSINESS
15 OCT 2001Hewitt calls for more 'IT' girlsPatricia Hewitt, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary, has announced details of a Government plan to encourage more women in the UK…POLITICS
11 OCT 2001World's first IT lifestyle census conductedEmbarcadero Europe, a software development company, has compiled the world's first IT lifestyle census, surveying 5,000 IT professionals in the UK to…IT
9 OCT 2001'Our position on IR35 is right' says ConservativesA Conservative party spokesman has said there would be no change to their pledge to repeal IR35 following reports that the Tories would abandon tax…POLITICS
8 OCT 2001Employment appeal tribunal rules contractor 'not an employee'Hewlett Packard has won its appeal against an employment tribunal judgment which found that an independent IT contractor had been unfairly dismissed…BUSINESS
7 OCT 2001Minister announces 'unfair advantage' for small businessesNigel Griffiths, Minister for Small Business, has announced a £75 million Government fund to help new and existing small businesses to grow in the UK.POLITICS
7 OCT 2001Government drops qualifying period for temps' annual leaveThe qualifying period for a temporary or contract worker to be entitled to claim paid annual leave is to be dropped with effect from 25 October.POLITICS
25 SEP 2001E-Minister and E-Envoy both demand broadband speed-upE-Commerce Minister Douglas Alexander has told BT it must exploit the UK's broadband investment more aggressively.IT
19 SEP 2001PCG to take IR35 fight to Labour conference fringe meetingThe Professional Contractors Group will host a fringe meeting at Labour's Brighton conference on 3 October to press MPs on IR35 and contracting.PCG
18 SEP 2001DTI calls off EAA meeting with recruitment industryThe Department of Trade and Industry has called off a meeting between Minister Alan Johnson and senior industry figures belonging to the Recruitment…POLITICS
17 SEP 2001Revenue expands IR35 FAQ on NIC refunds and agency statusThe Inland Revenue has expanded its IR35 FAQs, covering NIC repayments, SSP and SMP, whether an agent counts as a client, and 'IR35-proof' contracts.IR35
12 SEP 2001BT and IBM contractors are latest rates cuts casualtiesBT and IBM are the latest companies to join the growing number of firms cutting their contractor rates by 10 per cent according to contractors…BUSINESS
10 SEP 2001Revenue responds to questions over Sunday Times' attackThe Inland Revenue has answered UKTECH's questions regarding a Sunday Times article that quoted from disgruntled Revenue employees and the case of an…POLITICS
7 SEP 2001Skills shortages ease but contractor demand and rates remain lowSkills shortages may have eased according to discrepancies between the REC index and the CIPS Employment index, however demand and rates for…BUSINESS
7 SEP 2001Private banks are latest to cut contractor ratesDeutsche Bank is the latest company to join the growing number of firms announcing 10 per cent rates cuts for IT contractors in the UK, effective…BUSINESS
6 SEP 2001ATSCo welcomes increase in young ITersThe Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo) has welcomed this year's increase in students taking IT-related examinations.IT
5 SEP 2001REC slams TUC over Fixed Term Working Directive press releaseThe Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has hit out at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) over its claims that unionised work forces have…BUSINESS
4 SEP 2001Australia waters down its IR35-style personal services taxAn Australian Federal Parliament ruling has forced a rewrite of the Alienation of Personal Services Income Bill, easing its impact on contractors.IR35
31 AUG 2001Revenue updates Employment Status Manuals with more MOOThe Inland Revenue has updated its Employment Status Manuals with further information on Mutuality of Obligation and Mutual Intention.BUSINESS
29 AUG 2001Revenue's 1,250 strong 'blunder squad' to clear 7.8m open casesThe Inland Revenue will fund 1,250 extra staff to clear a backlog of 7.8 million open cases caused by the failures of the National Insurance…POLITICS
28 AUG 2001Revenue publishes customer service standards targets and resultsThe Inland Revenue has published the results of its customer service audit over the past year as well as its service targets for 2001 - 2002.POLITICS
24 AUG 2001Blunkett's new immigration scheme gets language targetForeign workers entering the country under David Blunkett's new immigration scheme could be given language training to help them secure jobs.POLITICS
20 AUG 2001IT contractor sent to prison for breaching CMAAn IT contractor who breached the Computer Misuse Act in a revenge attack against clients he believed owed him money has been sentenced to nine…IT
17 AUG 2001Brown targets 'bogus self-employed' in Treasury crackdownChancellor Gordon Brown says the Treasury will crack down on the 'bogus self-employed', beginning with the construction industry.POLITICS
16 AUG 2001Short-term contractors could get a raw deal, warns TUCShort-term contractors in the UK could miss out on equal rights to pay and pensions if the Government waters down the implementation of the EU…BUSINESS
14 AUG 2001RIP Act guidance set for public consultationThe Home Office has published a draft Code of Practice on Accessing Communications Data using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), for…POLITICS
13 AUG 2001Revenue recommended to pay highest ever complaints compensationThe Adjudicator's Office has recommended that the Inland Revenue pays a total of £481,612 to individuals and businesses for failed investigations and…BUSINESS
10 AUG 2001Ericsson and CitiGroup cut contractor rates and numbersEricsson and CitiGroup (Corporate Investment) have confirmed they are both currently negotiating rate reductions with their IT/ Telecoms contractors…BUSINESS
8 AUG 2001CIOT says tax code complexity risks serious malfunctionsThe Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has issued its representations paper for the Budget 2002.IR35
7 AUG 2001Demand for contractors rises strongly in every sector but ITDemand for IT contractors continued to fall for the fifth successive month, while nearly all other sectors witnessed a sharp rise in demand for temp…BUSINESS
6 AUG 2001Monitoring without consent- How your clients will watch you...The Office of the E-Envoy has published the second edition of its 'Electronic Communications at Work' policy paper outlining the conditions employers…BULLETIN
3 AUG 2001Most communications contractors now looking for permanent jobsA White and Nunn survey finds 65% of communications-sector contractors are now seeking permanent work amid deep concern about the market.BUSINESS
2 AUG 2001Oil-rig workers are seafarers, court rules, forcing £100m tax rebateThe Court of Appeal has ruled that jack-up rigs count as ships and their crews as seafarers, entitling some 20,000 North Sea workers to a £100m tax…BUSINESS
1 AUG 2001Tax institute says rushed consultation left IR35 complex and costlyThe Chartered Institute of Taxation says shortcuts in consulting on IR35 and other rules produced complex law that wasted time and money.IR35
31 JUL 2001Revenue says seeking a contract opinion won't trigger IR35 reviewThe Inland Revenue's updated FAQ says seeking its opinion on a contract will not by itself prompt an IR35 investigation of a personal service company.IR35
30 JUL 2001Employment Agencies Act reforms delayed amid industry disquietReforms to the Employment Agencies Act, including a ban on 'quarantine periods', have been delayed until later this year amid disquiet over the…POLITICS
26 JUL 2001Personal service companies 'excluded' from holiday pay rulingLegal experts say personal service companies are likely to be excluded from a European Court ruling granting contractors four weeks' paid holiday.BUSINESS
23 JUL 2001Wipro profits jump as Indian IT firms defy downturnWipro, Infosys and Nasscom are all reporting sharp profit rises, with Indian IT firms shrugging off the global slowdown in technology spending.BUSINESS
20 JUL 2001An Autumn of rates cuts for IT contractors?Credit Suisse First Boston and Hewlett Packard are both set to introduce 10 per cent cuts to their contractor rates.BUSINESS
17 JUL 2001Primarolo says IR35 guidance rephrased after court rulingPaymaster General Dawn Primarolo says IR35 guidance has been rephrased in line with the judicial review, but insists the legislation is not uncertain.IR35
15 JUL 2001Regulatory task force tells Government to stop playing gamesLord Haskins, Chairman of the Better Regulation Task Force, has hit out at the Government after a report found that regulators' mode of operating is…POLITICS
12 JUL 2001IT recruitment slides again with only technicians in demandThe Recruitment and Employment Confederation's latest report shows permanent and contract IT markets still in decline, with only technicians in…BUSINESS
11 JUL 2001DTI explains rules to curb abuse of fixed-term contractsThe DTI has explained how forthcoming rules on fixed-term working will restrict the use of successive fixed-term contracts ahead of the directive.POLITICS
6 JUL 2001ATSCo urges DTI to allow tax offset for contractors' trainingThe Association of Technology Staffing Companies has recommended that independent contractors should be able to offset training expenses against tax…AGENCIES
6 JUL 2001'Genuine businesses are not affected by IR35' says PMGThe Paymaster General - Dawn Primarolo has told the House of Commons that 'Genuine businesses are not affected by IR35' in a written answer to a…POLITICS
5 JUL 2001Latest Fast-track figures revealedUpdated figures for the Government's Fast-track visa and work permit system, designed to speed-up the importation of skilled foreign IT workers, have…POLITICS
3 JUL 2001Hewitt pledges DTI shake-up to put small business firstNew DTI Secretary Patricia Hewitt has unveiled plans to overhaul the department and put small businesses first as part of a productivity drive.POLITICS
29 JUN 2001Blunkett eyes Green Card scheme to replace Fast-track permitsHome Secretary David Blunkett is considering replacing the IT 'Fast-track' work permit scheme with a new 'Green Card' system to ease the skills…POLITICS
20 JUN 2001REC threatens judicial review over Employment Agencies ActThe Recruitment and Employment Confederation could take legal action against the Department of Trade and Industry if it refuses to back down over its…AGENCIES
14 JUN 2001The Cabinet re-shuffle: Implications for contracting industryThe Prime Minister's Government re-shuffle has broken down some of the bigger Departments whilst transferring existing powers and responsibilities…POLITICS
14 JUN 2001E-Envoy calls Government's IT targets "unhelpful"E-Envoy Andrew Pinder has called the Prime Minister's targets for a full electronic service by 2005 "unhelpful" in a speech to international IT…POLITICS
7 JUN 2001Demand for IT staff falls to previously unseen lowThe Recruitment & Employment Confederation's latest Report on Jobs has shown demand for temporary/ contract IT staff to have fallen for the third…BUSINESS
4 JUN 2001Manpower warns Labour could toughen Employment Agencies ActManpower director Keith Faulkner has warned that a second-term Labour DTI could make the Employment Agencies Act's rules even harsher than proposed.AGENCIES
1 JUN 2001Employee or not?- The answer is becoming no less 'elusive'A decision by an employment tribunal which originally found a construction worker to be a self-employed contractor when he took his client to court…IR35
31 MAY 2001Court of appeal overturns tribunal to rule contractor was employeeA court of appeal has overturned an employment tribunal, ruling that construction worker Peter Reid was an employee rather than a self-employed…ASK A LAWYER
30 MAY 2001E-minister temporarily rewrites Labour's controversial NI policyPatricia Hewitt, the Minister for E-commerce, appeared to rewrite Labour's policy on National Insurance recently, saying that "Tony Blair and Gordon…POLITICS
29 MAY 2001The Employment Agencies Act is looming… What will the impact be?The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations Act will come into full force this summer - but just how much of a change will…AGENCIES
29 MAY 2001PCG contractor drives Land Rover aid convoy to SarajevoPCG member Dave Haynes and navigator Keith Turner will drive 3,650 miles to Sarajevo, delivering aid and sponsorship money raised from fellow…PCG
29 MAY 2001Labour sparks fears that NI ceiling will be liftedChancellor Gordon Brown has sparked fears that the ceiling on National Insurance Contributions may be abolished, leading to a potentially unlimited…BUSINESS
22 MAY 2001EU plan to store communications data for seven years leakedLeaked documents obtained by Statewatch reveal EU governments, backed by Britain, want to retain phone, email, fax and internet data for up to seven…POLITICS
21 MAY 2001Conservatives release business manifestoThe Conservative Party has today (Monday 21st May) released their business manifesto, promising to scrap red tape and a range of corporate taxes.POLITICS
20 MAY 2001IT staff demand down by 40%According to the latest REC/ CIPS Index jobs survey report, demand for both permanent and contract based IT workers has continued to fall for the…BUSINESS
20 MAY 2001Treasury to offer tax cuts for entrepreneursChancellor Gordon Brown has announced that the Treasury will offer tax cuts to entrepreneurs who wish to start their own businesses or become…POLITICS
14 MAY 2001Labour says repeal of IR35 would cost £1 billion per yearLabour has accused the Conservatives' election manifesto of including 'grossly irresponsible' tax and spending pledges which would 'jeopardise the…POLITICS
20 APR 2001Home Secretary launches cybercrime crack squadHome Secretary, Jack Straw has launched a cybercrime crack squad to clamp down on organised online crime and to make the UK a safe haven to do…POLITICS
20 APR 2001Revenue sends complaint to Mail on Sunday following IR35 storyNick Montagu, Chairman of the Board of the Inland Revenue, has issued a formal response to an article in the Mail on Sunday (8th April) which said…POLITICS
18 APR 2001Contractor wins landmark court caseA court case has found in favour of a contractor challenging his client, Hewlett Packard, to provide him with the same protection from unfair…IR35
18 APR 2001Primarolo steers around IR35 ‘employee benefits’ issuePaymaster General Dawn Primarolo has responded to questions in Parliament regarding IR35 saying "the Inland Revenue will review the guidance material…POLITICS
4 APR 2001Adapt to e-business or fall behind, Insead study warnsAn Insead report ranks Oracle, IBM and Compaq as e-business leaders and warns that firms failing to embrace the digital age will lose their…BUSINESS
4 APR 2001IR35 upheld, but judge faults Revenue's lack of researchA Times commentary on the High Court's IR35 ruling highlights the judge's finding that the Revenue made its impact assessment without adequate…PCG
3 APR 2001Inland Revenue responds to IR35 judgementShortly after the finale of the judicial review an Inland Revenue spokesman in Somerset House told UKTECH: "The Government is glad the court has…IR35
3 APR 2001IR35 judicial review sparks wave of media coverageThe PCG's IR35 court challenge drew extensive press, TV and radio coverage, with UKTECH asking readers to help compile a definitive record of the…PCG
27 MAR 2001UKTECH Exclusive: Ken Livingstone speaks out against IR35Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, has added his support to fighting IR35, telling UKTECH, "It is a 'withholding tax', hampering the innovation…POLITICS
25 MAR 2001The 'real-life' Gordon, as defined by the Inland Revenue...'Gordon' is, famously, the name given to an imaginary contractor in the Revenue's guidance notes who suffers the unfortunate fate of being well and…IR35
22 MAR 2001IR35 architect Sarah Walker defends the tax as review endsAs the judicial review closed, the Revenue's lead civil servant behind IR35, Sarah Walker, gave a rare interview defending the Government's reasons…POLITICS
19 MAR 2001Judge puts eight key questions to both sides in IR35 reviewAs the IR35 judicial review resumed, Mr Justice Burton put eight questions to the Inland Revenue and the PCG on the tax's impact on small service…IR35
16 MAR 2001Blair rejects PCG appeal to step in over IR35In a reply to the Professional Contractors Group, Downing Street defends IR35 and rebuffs calls for the Prime Minister to personally intervene over…PCG
14 MAR 2001Two years on, IR35 protest brings Government to High CourtTwo years after the first online grumbles about IR35, the PCG's 12,000 members have brought the Government before the High Court over the tax's…PCG
13 MAR 2001JR 2: Judge 'sympathetic only to uncertainty over IR35'At the start of the afternoon session of PCG’s first day in the judicial review, its QC Gerald Barling, ran through the issues underlying the…IR35
13 MAR 2001JR 1: 'I may be convinced' says JudgeThe judicial review of the case presented by the PCG to the High Court regarding the illegality of IR35 began this morning (Tuesday March 13) when Mr…IR35
12 MAR 2001Government begins defence of IR35 on the eve of Judicial ReviewOn the eve of PCG's judicial review against the Government, the Labour Party has published a story on its website entitled 'Why is Labour introducing…POLITICS
10 MAR 2001PCG ready for judicial review challenge to IR35 legalityThe Professional Contractors Group says it is fully prepared for next week's High Court judicial review, arguing IR35 breaches European law on three…IR35
8 MAR 2001Budget Commentary: IR35 at bottom of Government’s undo listSenior analyst at Bloor Research, Mark Simmons, exclusively provides UKTECH with essential commentary on the budget and the implications it will have…BUSINESS
6 MAR 2001Jobserve makes U-turn because 'the road ahead is being blocked'Defending Jobserve's decision to accept direct advertising from employers following its previous operation of accepting jobs from employment agencies…AGENCIES
3 MAR 2001The muddy waters when a contractor becomes an 'employee'In the past contractors have neither sought nor wanted to be treated as 'employees' of their client - and clients have not wanted them 'on the books'.IR35
1 MAR 2001Computer People admits wording was 'unfortunate'Computer People and ATSCo have issued statements following UKTECH's breaking of the story of Computer People using IR35 to market their services to…AGENCIES
23 FEB 2001New review procedure to end high profile Government IT disastersThe Treasury has announced that the Office of Government Commerce's Gateway Review Process procedure will be applied to all future public sector IT…POLITICS
23 FEB 2001PQ reveals origins of ‘Fast-Track’ imported IT professionalsThe top 10 countries whose IT professionals have been drafted in to the UK to fill the national skills shortage over the past year has been released…POLITICS
22 FEB 2001Tories launch website to deregulate ‘Red Tape Britain’Sir Paul Judge, Chairman of the Conservative Deregulation Taskforce, has launched sillyregs.com to get feedback on what's really strangling Britain's…POLITICS
21 FEB 2001ATSCo responds to questions of using ‘bullying’ tacticsAnn Swain, Chief Executive of ATSCo, has spoken to UKTECH about its letter of intent to commence legal proceedings against the Affiliation of…AGENCIES
21 FEB 2001PCG reports Computer People to ASA over IR35 ad claimsThe Professional Contractors Group has filed an Advertising Standards Authority complaint accusing recruiter Computer People of misleading IR35…PRESS
20 FEB 2001ATSCo sues contractor group over 'atsco' domain namesAgency body ATSCo has begun 'passing off' proceedings against the Affiliation of Technology Sub-Contractors over its atsco.co.uk and .org.uk domains.AGENCIES
18 FEB 2001Minister's Conference Paper generates a very 'reasoned debate'Cabinet Office Minister, Graham Stringer MP, has responded to calls to provide a response to the debate started by his article in the site's first…CONFERENCE PAPERS
15 FEB 2001Conservatives will repeal IR35Today the Conservative Party announced that it will repeal the damaging and short-sighted IR35 legislation which has caused mayhem in the IT sector…IR35
13 FEB 2001Government pledges to back self-employed and review regulationIn a recent speech the Prime Minister called for Ministers to devise policies to back the country's self-employed.POLITICS
12 FEB 2001Cabinet Office Minister writes first UKTECH Conference PaperGraham Stringer MP, the Cabinet Office's Parliamentary Secretary, has written the first Conference Paper to be placed in the UKTECH Conference Hall…POLITICS
11 FEB 2001Contractor legislation may change: Advocate General adds supportBECTU, the entertainment union, has received a major boost to its groundbreaking legal proceedings against the Government's policy on paid annual…POLITICS
9 FEB 2001Livingstone's e-business adviser a 'waste of time', says analystBloor Research analyst Mark Simmons tells UKTECH that Ken Livingstone's appointment of an e-business adviser will make no difference to London.BUSINESS
6 FEB 2001Leaked emails reveal job-site 'client direct' battle with agenciesLeaked emails obtained by UKTECH show rivals rounding on Jobserve and Jobsite as the big job sites let clients advertise direct, bypassing agencies.AGENCIES
5 FEB 2001ATSCo call proposed industry regulations "disastrous"Government proposals to ban ‘quarantine periods’ on ‘temp-to-temp’ and ‘temp to third-party’ transfers of over four weeks and ‘temp-to-perm’…AGENCIES
22 JAN 2001Government's 'temp to perm' quarantine debate intensifiesA heated exchange of letters (copied to the Interviewer magazine) between Alan Johnson - Minister for Competitiveness and Tory MP Ian Bruce has…POLITICS
19 JAN 2001Byers opens Marconi's $50m Delhi plant on Asia trade tripTrade Secretary Stephen Byers has opened Marconi's new $50 million Delhi plant as two ministers tour Asia to promote UK e-commerce links.POLITICS
15 JAN 2001Start-ups forced registration may not mean "fairness for all"Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo's scheme to make start-up businesses and the self-employed register with the Revenue immediately or face a £100 fine…POLITICS
12 JAN 2001Contractor's IR35 attack becomes Spectator cover storyIT contractor Andrew Duncan's Spectator cover article 'Why I no longer love Tony' attacks IR35, with contractors mailing copies to their MPs.IR35
11 JAN 2001Wipro beats IBM to Scottish Parliament IT contractIndia's Wipro has won the contract to support the Scottish Parliament's IT network for its 2003 Holyrood move, ousting IBM and drawing SNP criticism.BUSINESS
8 JAN 2001Increase in contractors' rates predictedCorporate finance specialists, Capital Strategies, has predicted that IR35 could have five serious impacts on IT contractors.IR35
5 JAN 2001Inland Revenue offers bonus to 'increase efficiency through IT'The Inland Revenue has announced that it will offer small businesses a £50 bonus for filling in tax returns electronically.POLITICS
4 JAN 2001Is the 'online' government 'offline'?A Cabinet Office website launched to publicise its e-government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) and 'Modernising Government' White Paper has 14…POLITICS