1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206 
Forward gear
Page 38
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
With Labour back in power, what legislation can business expect in the near future? Patric Cunnane lists the changes.
Employment legislation remains a key area for Labour with its claim that more Britons are in work than ever before, giving the UK the highest employment rate in the 07 group of industrialised nations.
As part of its programme the government has accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission. It is raising the minimum wage to £5.05 from October 2005, and to £5.35 from October 2006.
Skills at work is also being given a high priority, with the government promising several initiatives. These include a new national programme working with employers to ensure that employees who did not reach GCSE standard (level 2) at school get time off for training to this level.
In addition, there will be a partnership with employers to fund workplace training at level 3 (technicians). A Sector Skills Council will decide on the training strategy for each area, and set up partnerships with trade unions to boost workplace training.
Opening the post Market liberalisation of postal services continues to be introduced under the Postal Services Act 2000.This will increasingly allow alternative carriers to offer postal services in competition with the Royal Mail.
To cut red tape costs to businesses the government says it will "rationalise business inspections". In addition, the merger of Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise will cut the administrative costs of tax compliance for small businesses.
Further support for small businesses will come through Business Link, which offers help to start-ups and gives small firms access to coaching and support. The government also says it will tackle barriers to financing small and growing businesses, "especially in deprived areas".