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Tolley Publishing, which produces regular monthly business bulletins offering need-to-know information on many areas, including:
• Company law • Health and safety • VAT law • Environmental issues • Tax and accountancy • Payroll issues.
Tolley is also publisher of the Haulage Handbook, a new looseleaf publication covering all aspects of haulage law, including weights and dimensions, driving hours, licensing, international operations, vehicle loading, tachographs and vehicle maintenance.
For more information, call Tolley now on 0181 686 9141.
TRANSPORT
Major accident hazards
The Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations (COMAHR) 1999* have come into force. They implement the Seveso II Directive (96/82EC), which emphasises controlling risks to both people and the environment. In addition, the Health and Safety Executive is to publish a guide to COMAHR 1999 in June.
* Si 1999 No 743 is available, price L520, from the Stationery Office.
COMPANY Payment league tables The Federation of Small Businesses has published payment performance tables* for some of the largest companies in the UK. The tables set out the average time it takes each company to pay its bills. Its findings indude: • on average, it takes a plc 46 days to pay; • a third of plcs pay within 30 days; • more than a fifth of companies take more than 6o days to pay.
* Copies of Private Sector Payment Performance League Tables 1999 are available from the Federation of Small Businesses, 2 Catherine Place, Westminster, London SWiE 6HF (enclose 12 to cover postage and packaging).
New Commission The Competition Commission has now replaced the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC). In addition, Regulations* have come into force in connection with the dissolution of the MMC and the transfer of its functions to the new Commission.
The Commission has published a leaflet. An Introduction to the Competition Commission** , and there is a new website address: www.cornpetition-comrnission.gov.uk. * Competition Act (Competition Commission) Transitional, Consequential and Supplemental Provisions Order 1999 (SI 7999 No 506) is available, price 13,from the Stationery Office.
** Available free from the Information Centre. Tel: 0171 324 1467.
Awareness open clays The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced that 77% of key business managers in the UK are unaware of the Competition Act 1998. To raise awareness of the Act's importance, the OFT will take part in a series of business advice open days* organised by Customs and Excise (C&E).
* Details availablefrom CE. Tel: 0121 697 4065.
FINANCE Finance Bill 1999 The Treasury has published the r999 Finance Bill* and explanatory notes on it**.
* Price 111.2o from the Stationery Office.
** Price £12, from HM Treasury, Parliament Street, London SW1.13 3AG. Tel: 0171 270 4558.
CD-ROM Euro guide The EC has published a guidance pack to help small and medium-sized companies prepare for the possible transition to the Euro.
It consists of a brochure and CD-ROM. including data from case studies, an interactive questionnaire and a link to the Commission's Euro website. The guide is free, and will be available from Chambers of Commerce and Euro Information Centres.
HEALTH & SAFETY HSE fees New Regulations* which update and replace Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 1997 have come into force. They list fees payable to the Health and Safety Executive in respect of various licence and approval applications and notifications, and a new fee for a vocational training certificate under Transport of Dangerous Goods (Safety Adviser) Regulations 1999.
* Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No 645) is available, price 14.5o, from the Stationery Office.
Millennium bug
The HSE has published further guidance* to help companies assess the effectiveness of their Year z000 programmes.
* Year woo Assessment—A Review Framework is available free from HSE Books. Tel: 01787 881165. Alternatively, it is on the Internet at: hap ://www. open.gov firse/hsehome,httn •
Whistleblowers The HSE has announced that the monetary limit on compensation for workers who are missed for exposing health and safety dangers will be removed. Such workers will now be compensated in a similar way to whistleblowers under Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
PENSIONS Timely contributions The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra) has published a booklet, Paying Pension Contributions on Time—A Guide for Employers with Occupational Pension Schemes*, which explains the rules about deducting pension contributions from employees' pay.
It includes tips on getting contributions paid safely and on time, and describes Opra's role as the regulator.
* Available free from Opra's helpdesk. Tel: 01273 627600. It is also on Opra's website at: www. opra.gov.uk/publications/factsheetsffact3-1.htm.
TAXATION CTSA guidance The Inland Revenue has published a guide* to help prepare for the start of corporation tax self. assessment. The guide explains how the tax rules for companies have changed, and how self-assessment will work.
* A Guide to Corporation Tax Self Assessment is available, price 175,from Inland Revenue Library, Room 28, New Wing, Somerset House, London WC2R iLB. It is also on the Internet at: mom inlandrevenue.gov.uk.
Miscellaneous changes The following sets of Regulations* have come into force:
• Social Security Contributions, Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Sick Pay (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulation 1999 (SI 1999 No 567), price £3; and • Social Security (Contributions and Credits) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No 568), price L3.
Available from the Stationery Office.