Having trouble viewing? View Web Version

Reduce VAT on green products, urges House of Lords The House of Lords has urged the Government to cut VAT on green products in a report by its Science and Technology committee. The report, entitled 'Waste Reduction', recommends ways to reduce private sector waste and encourages firms to adopt greener approaches to business. The Committee argued that introducing lower VAT rates for businesses using sustainable materials would have a significant impact on the environment. It also recommended the introduction of VAT reforms on the repair of products to encourage businesses to fix broken equipment rather than buy replacements.

The committee also criticised the Government's Budget decision to cut funding for environmental and green business support agencies. > Read More

East and North East get £10 million credit crunch support packages

Businesses in the East and North East of England are to benefit from £10 million credit crunch packages, thanks to regional development agencies the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and One NorthEast. The funding will help to create and protect jobs and growth, and cut energy costs. The news about the One NorthEast package came as Government representatives visited Tyneside to meet with business leaders about the support package. The EEDA package was launched in similar circumstances.

> Read More

Independent commission launched for direct marketing industry

A new independent regulatory body, which will investigate reports of unethical and inappropriate practice in the direct marketing industry, has been launched. The Direct Marketing Commission (DMC) will investigate complaints from any source and any firm operating within the industry. Its remit extends to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and other direct marketing bodies. All direct marketing practices, including mail, e-mail, text messages, mail order, telephone and catalogue, will be open to investigation if a complaint is made. The DMC has the authority to sanction any direct marketing firm that breaches the direct marketing Code of Practice.

> Read More

Charities could be hit by land tax

Charities could be hit by a tax contained in the Planning Bill. The tax requires any organisation that gets planning permission to develop land, to pay tax based on the value of the land. Billed as a community infrastructure levy, the tax will not only affect offices and business premises but also village halls, community groups and charities that are given the go-ahead to build any extensions. Several charity groups, including the Charity Tax Group and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), have formed a consortium to campaign for an exemption from the tax for charitable organisations.

> Read More

Small firms lack continuity plans, research suggests

Small and medium-sized firms lack business continuity planning and risk losing their customers, according to research by YouGov and business continuity firm SunGard Availability Services. Just a third of businesses surveyed have a continuity plan in place, which would allow them to continue operating during disruption to service. Some 40% surveyed admitted a computer hardware failure would have a detrimental effect on their business, and just 10% said they would be able to operate as normal.

> Read More

Report published on innovation in the service industry

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has published a report which looks at measures to help businesses innovate across service industries. These include retail, construction, logistics, Internet, and environmental services. The report's findings include the fact that the Internet has given more power to consumers and innovative businesses have adapted to meet customer expectations in this area. The Government is working with the Technology Strategy Board and the British Standards Institute (BSI) to help implement the report's recommendations.

> Read More

ISO Stickers

Don't forget that we have stickers available to promote your organisation's certified status.

> Order Stickers

Website Design - 12% Off

Our IT division Sixth Sense ESP provides a discount for all of our clients. Their services include design, e-commerce and search engine optimisation.

> Visit Website