https://uktech.org/section/politics/ Westminster, Whitehall and the policy decisions shaping contracting. en-gb Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 newsdesk@uktech.org (UKTECH newsdesk) newsdesk@uktech.org https://uktech.org/a/spring-statement-leaves-ir35-alone-as-hmrc-lines-up-a-1bn-compliance-push.html https://uktech.org/a/spring-statement-leaves-ir35-alone-as-hmrc-lines-up-a-1bn-compliance-push.html Wed, 26 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Political News Rachel Reeves ruled out fresh tax rises on 26 March, but a hardened HMRC enforcement drive and a lower Making Tax Digital threshold shifted the pressure… https://uktech.org/a/mps-tell-reeves-the-loan-charge-review-is-drawn-too-narrowly-to-reach-contractors.html https://uktech.org/a/mps-tell-reeves-the-loan-charge-review-is-drawn-too-narrowly-to-reach-contractors.html Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Political News The government's new inquiry examines only how contractors settle, not whether they should have to, and cross-party MPs want to know why. https://uktech.org/a/national-insurance-bill-clears-the-commons-and-umbrella-contractors-will-absorb-the-rise.html https://uktech.org/a/national-insurance-bill-clears-the-commons-and-umbrella-contractors-will-absorb-the-rise.html Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Political News A tax framed as a levy on employers lands, in practice, on the take-home pay of contractors working through umbrellas or inside IR35. https://uktech.org/a/reeves-lifts-employer-nic-to-15-and-shifts-umbrella-paye-liability-onto-agencies.html https://uktech.org/a/reeves-lifts-employer-nic-to-15-and-shifts-umbrella-paye-liability-onto-agencies.html Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Political News The Autumn Budget squeezed umbrella workers' take-home pay while redrawing who carries the tax risk in the contractor supply chain. https://uktech.org/a/starmer-s-painful-budget-warning-puts-contractor-dividends-and-cgt-in-the-frame.html https://uktech.org/a/starmer-s-painful-budget-warning-puts-contractor-dividends-and-cgt-in-the-frame.html Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000 UKTECH Newsdesk Political News The Prime Minister's 27 August garden speech spared income tax, NI and VAT, and in doing so told company-based contractors exactly where the Budget axe… https://uktech.org/a/key-report-shows-uk-is-it-underachiever.html https://uktech.org/a/key-report-shows-uk-is-it-underachiever.html Tue, 15 Nov 2005 13:24:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A Government IT report that was supposed to form the crux of last month's e-summit showed the UK lagging behind competitors. https://uktech.org/a/whats-the-e-envoy-got-to-do-with-it.html https://uktech.org/a/whats-the-e-envoy-got-to-do-with-it.html Fri, 06 Feb 2004 18:01:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Full of good ideas and tall promises at their grandiose introductions, our appointed e-leaders pledge to fight the good fight to boost UK IT for all. https://uktech.org/a/making-big-brother-pay-id-card-opportunities.html https://uktech.org/a/making-big-brother-pay-id-card-opportunities.html Thu, 13 Nov 2003 20:06:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The UK ID card scheme will include basic personal information, a digital photo and a "biometric" which can include facial recognition, iris scans and… https://uktech.org/a/snooping-plan-updates-are-not-enough-campaigners-say.html https://uktech.org/a/snooping-plan-updates-are-not-enough-campaigners-say.html Wed, 12 Mar 2003 13:12:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Government says snooping plans allowing public bodies unfettered access to citizens' confidential communications have been curbed under new proposals… https://uktech.org/a/senator-overwhelmed-by-it-support-for-outsourcing-ban.html https://uktech.org/a/senator-overwhelmed-by-it-support-for-outsourcing-ban.html Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:40:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A New Jersey Senator backing a Bill to halt the export of US public sector jobs has received support from thousands of jobless IT professionals. https://uktech.org/a/key-report-shows-uk-is-it-underachiever-2.html https://uktech.org/a/key-report-shows-uk-is-it-underachiever-2.html Fri, 06 Dec 2002 11:24:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A Government IT report that was supposed to form the crux of last month's e-summit showed the UK lagging behind competitors. https://uktech.org/a/world-s-e-envoys-come-together-in-london.html https://uktech.org/a/world-s-e-envoys-come-together-in-london.html Thu, 21 Nov 2002 11:26:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News e-Envoys representing nine of the world's major ICT-player countries gathered this week to compare strategies at the UK's first London e-summit. https://uktech.org/a/e-government-must-fit-public-s-needs-mps-warn.html https://uktech.org/a/e-government-must-fit-public-s-needs-mps-warn.html Fri, 30 Aug 2002 12:19:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Public Accounts Committee has warned £10 billion could be wasted if the Government cannot tailor online services to meet the practical needs of the… https://uktech.org/a/newsflash-ftv-list-pulled.html https://uktech.org/a/newsflash-ftv-list-pulled.html Wed, 28 Aug 2002 16:36:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The IT skills shortage list, operated by Work Permits UK, the Government agency that issues visas and work permits to fast track visa workers, has been… https://uktech.org/a/uk-tax-re-classification-threat-to-self-employed.html https://uktech.org/a/uk-tax-re-classification-threat-to-self-employed.html Mon, 12 Aug 2002 17:09:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Attempts by the Inland Revenue to re-classify casual and irregular workers as employees will mean big increases in National Insurance contribution (NIC)… https://uktech.org/a/small-firms-lagging-on-internet-marketing-dti-study.html https://uktech.org/a/small-firms-lagging-on-internet-marketing-dti-study.html Mon, 29 Jul 2002 17:40:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A PricewaterhouseCoopers study for the DTI finds small companies trailing larger rivals in marketing themselves online, despite rising e-commerce uptake. https://uktech.org/a/ditching-microsoft-government-swaps-lock-in-software-for-open-source.html https://uktech.org/a/ditching-microsoft-government-swaps-lock-in-software-for-open-source.html Thu, 25 Jul 2002 17:34:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Government has announced a new software policy entitled 'Open Source Software: Use within Government' to avoid product 'lock-ins' and lessen reliance… https://uktech.org/a/consultation-begins-on-agency-workers-directive.html https://uktech.org/a/consultation-begins-on-agency-workers-directive.html Fri, 19 Jul 2002 13:09:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Department of Trade and Industry has launched a 16-week consultation period over the controversial Agency Workers' Directive to measure the impact it… https://uktech.org/a/government-on-track-to-meet-e-targets-despite-bad-press-says-survey.html https://uktech.org/a/government-on-track-to-meet-e-targets-despite-bad-press-says-survey.html Mon, 08 Jul 2002 11:41:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Over a third of local authorities have said they will have 50-100 per cent of their services online by the end of 2002, ahead of the 2005 deadline for… https://uktech.org/a/parliamentary-committee-calls-for-compulsory-contractors-code.html https://uktech.org/a/parliamentary-committee-calls-for-compulsory-contractors-code.html Wed, 26 Jun 2002 16:21:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Public Administration Select Committee, the Parliamentary Committee for the civil service, has called for tough new contract terms for public service… https://uktech.org/a/the-minister-for-small-business-aka-the-come-back-kid.html https://uktech.org/a/the-minister-for-small-business-aka-the-come-back-kid.html Fri, 21 Jun 2002 18:19:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News In our final piece on Nigel Griffiths, the Small Business Minister, we look at the Minister himself and his attitudes and past experiences leading up to… https://uktech.org/a/what-place-for-contractors-in-the-future-uk-flexible-workforce.html https://uktech.org/a/what-place-for-contractors-in-the-future-uk-flexible-workforce.html Thu, 20 Jun 2002 17:06:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News In our fourth interview over issues affecting UK contractors with Nigel Griffiths, the Minister for Small Business, UKTECH asks what the Minister sees the… https://uktech.org/a/it-literati-slammed-brakes-on-blunkett-s-rip-act-amendments.html https://uktech.org/a/it-literati-slammed-brakes-on-blunkett-s-rip-act-amendments.html Thu, 20 Jun 2002 17:05:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, suspended the adoption of a controversial statutory Order within the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 that… https://uktech.org/a/barriers-to-business-where-does-ir35-rank-with-the-minister-for-small-business.html https://uktech.org/a/barriers-to-business-where-does-ir35-rank-with-the-minister-for-small-business.html Tue, 18 Jun 2002 17:51:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News In the second part of our interview series with Nigel Griffiths, the Minister for Small Business, UKTECH explores the main barriers to setting up and… https://uktech.org/a/who-s-an-entrepreneur-uktech-com-interviews-the-minister-for-small-business.html https://uktech.org/a/who-s-an-entrepreneur-uktech-com-interviews-the-minister-for-small-business.html Mon, 17 Jun 2002 16:35:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News UKTECH recently interviewed Nigel Griffiths, the Government's Minister for Small Business, about enterprise and contractors' businesses in his office at… https://uktech.org/a/griffiths-enterprise-culture-plan-at-risk-from-stumbling-blocks.html https://uktech.org/a/griffiths-enterprise-culture-plan-at-risk-from-stumbling-blocks.html Mon, 10 Jun 2002 16:23:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Professional Contractors Group (PCG) has warned Nigel Griffiths, Minister for Small Businesses, to clear existing stumbling blocks, such as IR35, out… https://uktech.org/a/new-e-minister-has-chequered-history-with-it-contractors.html https://uktech.org/a/new-e-minister-has-chequered-history-with-it-contractors.html Fri, 31 May 2002 18:10:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The new e-Minister, Stephen Timms, has had a chequered history with contractors in the IT field through his involvement in introducing IR35, his… https://uktech.org/a/pcg-s-ftv-meeting-on-ice-as-lord-rooker-is-shifted-to-housing.html https://uktech.org/a/pcg-s-ftv-meeting-on-ice-as-lord-rooker-is-shifted-to-housing.html Fri, 31 May 2002 11:02:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A meeting between the Professional Contractors Group (PCG) and the Home Office Minister, Lord Rooker, about fast track visas (FTVs) was a victim of the… https://uktech.org/a/ciot-voices-concerns-over-finance-bill-2002.html https://uktech.org/a/ciot-voices-concerns-over-finance-bill-2002.html Tue, 21 May 2002 16:51:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has said it has 'growing concerns over the Government's attempts to make significant tax changes without full… https://uktech.org/a/haskins-to-step-down-as-better-regulation-task-force-chair.html https://uktech.org/a/haskins-to-step-down-as-better-regulation-task-force-chair.html Fri, 15 Mar 2002 14:57:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Lord Haskins will leave the Better Regulation Task Force at the end of March, with former IPC chairman David Arculus named as his successor. https://uktech.org/a/eu-is-working-in-the-dark-over-uk-it-skills-shortages.html https://uktech.org/a/eu-is-working-in-the-dark-over-uk-it-skills-shortages.html Wed, 13 Mar 2002 10:43:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A senior member of the EU skills planning team in Brussels has told UKTECH he is using information submitted by the UK Home Office in 2000 to plan for… https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-minister-urges-software-firms-tap-dti-funds.html https://uktech.org/a/e-commerce-minister-urges-software-firms-tap-dti-funds.html Fri, 08 Mar 2002 12:29:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News E-commerce minister Douglas Alexander has called on the UK's £22 billion software industry to make greater use of DTI funding and start-up support. https://uktech.org/a/blair-calls-for-eu-to-back-knowledge-based-companies.html https://uktech.org/a/blair-calls-for-eu-to-back-knowledge-based-companies.html Fri, 22 Feb 2002 15:44:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News A joint letter from Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Dutch Prime Minister, Wim Kok, to the Spanish Prime Minister and EU President, Jose Maria Aznar, has… https://uktech.org/a/eu-commission-adopts-plan-to-import-1-6-million-it-workers.html https://uktech.org/a/eu-commission-adopts-plan-to-import-1-6-million-it-workers.html Thu, 21 Feb 2002 16:25:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The European Commission has accepted an 'Action Plan for Skills and Mobility' which outlines increased legal immigration to help cover skills shortages… https://uktech.org/a/uk-business-representatives-present-joint-wish-list-paper-to-eu.html https://uktech.org/a/uk-business-representatives-present-joint-wish-list-paper-to-eu.html Thu, 21 Feb 2002 13:00:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Major organisations representing more than 135,000 UK small businesses have come together to present a 'wish list' paper, calling on EU leaders to address… https://uktech.org/a/griffiths-meets-eu-minister-over-small-business-progress.html https://uktech.org/a/griffiths-meets-eu-minister-over-small-business-progress.html Fri, 15 Feb 2002 12:38:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Nigel Griffiths, Minister for Small Business, has met with Erkki Liikanen, the EU Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, ahead of the… https://uktech.org/a/eu-publishes-small-firms-charter-report.html https://uktech.org/a/eu-publishes-small-firms-charter-report.html Tue, 12 Feb 2002 17:34:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The report is a review of how each EU member state is implementing the Small Firms Charter. https://uktech.org/a/uktech-com-interviews-self-employment-rights-bill-architect.html https://uktech.org/a/uktech-com-interviews-self-employment-rights-bill-architect.html Thu, 07 Feb 2002 11:21:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Mark Prisk MP, architect of 'The Right to be Self-Employed' Bill, recently told Parliament that defining self-employed status is: 'confusing, wasteful… https://uktech.org/a/government-justifies-fast-track-foreign-it-with-1999-information.html https://uktech.org/a/government-justifies-fast-track-foreign-it-with-1999-information.html Thu, 03 Jan 2002 15:28:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Home Office has referred to documents featuring information collected during positive market conditions in 1999 as justification for its drive to… https://uktech.org/a/mps-discuss-narrow-and-restrictive-definition-of-an-employee.html https://uktech.org/a/mps-discuss-narrow-and-restrictive-definition-of-an-employee.html Tue, 18 Dec 2001 10:13:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News MPs raised the issue of the need for clarification between the definitions of 'an employee' and 'a worker' during a debate over statutory dispute… https://uktech.org/a/radical-reform-of-work-permits-proposed.html https://uktech.org/a/radical-reform-of-work-permits-proposed.html Mon, 10 Dec 2001 16:42:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Lord Rooker, the Immigration and Citizenship Minister, has announced the Home Office is exploring new categories of work permits to help support… https://uktech.org/a/revenue-launches-competition-for-new-it-suppliers.html https://uktech.org/a/revenue-launches-competition-for-new-it-suppliers.html Wed, 21 Nov 2001 12:22:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The Revenue has announced it will hold an open competition, code-named 'ASPIRE' (Acquiring Strategic Partners for the Inland Revenue), to find suitable… https://uktech.org/a/revenue-chief-hits-out-at-the-times-over-staff-strike-article.html https://uktech.org/a/revenue-chief-hits-out-at-the-times-over-staff-strike-article.html Fri, 09 Nov 2001 15:32:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Inland Revenue chief Nick Montague has written a letter of complaint to Peter Stothard, Editor of The Times, in response to an article it published saying… https://uktech.org/a/blair-s-drive-to-cut-red-tape-welcomed-by-industry.html https://uktech.org/a/blair-s-drive-to-cut-red-tape-welcomed-by-industry.html Wed, 07 Nov 2001 14:48:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that all Whitehall departments have been asked to identify areas of legislation that are ripe for reform as part… https://uktech.org/a/e-minister-explores-democracy-in-the-information-age.html https://uktech.org/a/e-minister-explores-democracy-in-the-information-age.html Fri, 02 Nov 2001 09:24:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Douglas Alexander, Minister for e-commerce, has called on the technology and internet community to work with Government to open up new ways to encourage… https://uktech.org/a/revenue-to-offer-compensation-for-causing-distress.html https://uktech.org/a/revenue-to-offer-compensation-for-causing-distress.html Thu, 01 Nov 2001 17:15:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News 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… https://uktech.org/a/it-environment-for-e-government-success-is-in-place-says-porter.html https://uktech.org/a/it-environment-for-e-government-success-is-in-place-says-porter.html Wed, 31 Oct 2001 17:38:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Christopher Porter, Cabinet Office Director of the e-economy, told UKTECH he believed a suitable environment for IT contractors was in place and would not… https://uktech.org/a/latest-fast-track-visa-figures-released.html https://uktech.org/a/latest-fast-track-visa-figures-released.html Wed, 31 Oct 2001 16:44:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Angela Eagle, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Europe, Community and Race Equality, has released the latest fast track visa and work permit… https://uktech.org/a/e-envoy-will-head-up-uk-e-security-boost.html https://uktech.org/a/e-envoy-will-head-up-uk-e-security-boost.html Mon, 22 Oct 2001 13:11:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News The e-Envoy, Andrew Pinder, is to oversee the introduction of digital signatures, smart cards for businesses and the public and will assist with proposed… https://uktech.org/a/hewitt-calls-for-more-it-girls.html https://uktech.org/a/hewitt-calls-for-more-it-girls.html Mon, 15 Oct 2001 13:33:00 +0000 Richard Powell Political News Patricia Hewitt, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary, has announced details of a Government plan to encourage more women in the UK to…