Case Studies Category
-
New food labels needed for local produce
The Government is calling on food producers and shops to give more information on labels about where in Britain their food comes from, as new research shows that almost 80% of people see buying local food as a top priority. According to the study, vegetables (51%) and meat (40%) topped the list of products that people would buy if a local option was available. Speaking ahead of the launch of British Food ...
-
Environment Secretary sets out initiatives to support dairy farmers
Support from the EU to help farmers overcome cash flow problems stemming from current low prices for milk and other produce will be called for today by Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss. Ahead of an extraordinary Agriculture Council meeting in Brussels, which will discuss options to help farmers through the current tough times, Ms Truss will urge the Commission to take action to relax some of the checks required on CAP subsidy payments to allow ...
-
New measures to ensure fair pay
A package of measures to ensure people receive the pay they are entitled to has been announced by the Government, including: doubling the penalties for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage and the new National Living Wage increasing the enforcement budget setting up a new team in HMRC to take forward criminal prosecutions for those who deliberately do not comply ensuring that anyone found guilty will be considered for disqualification ...
-
Bank lending to business recovering
In its latest forecast, EY’s ITEM Club sees the UK recovery looking encouraging, with GDP expected to grow by 2.7% in 2015. Consumer spending is on the rise and growth in business lending is predicted to move back into positive territory for the first time since 2008. However, banks are having to factor in the possibility of further fines for regulatory breaches, and the tax announcement in the Summer Budget, which will squeeze them further. Other ...
-
CMA updates guidance on unfair contract terms
Consumer-facing businesses are being offered help complying with consumer law as the Competition and Markets Authority publishes new guidance on unfair contract terms. The move follows changes to the law in the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which come into force in October this year strengthening two pieces of legislation that target contract terms and notices that could be used to give firms ...
-
£500,000 flooding support for rural communities
Six rural areas are to receive a share of a half-a-million pound fund for flood protection, Floods Minister, Rory Stewart, has announced. Under the “Pathfinder Projects” pilot scheme each pilot will support local authorities in developing innovative ways to apply for funding and combine smaller projects into larger and more effective flood risk management packages. The local authorities receiving funding to investigate and assess options are: Northamptonshire County Council
-
Groceries Code Adjudicator is making a difference
A YouGov survey carried out on behalf of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) shows a drop in the number of Groceries Code related issues in suppliers' dealings with the ten large retailers - down from 79% to 70% in the past year. At the same time a larger proportion of suppliers said they would consider raising issues with the GCA (up 9% to 47%) but concerns about retribution were still the dominant reason for holding back. Adjudicator, ...
-
Dairy merger faces in-depth investigation
Müller’s proposed acquisition of Dairy Crest’s dairy operations will be referred for an in-depth investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced, unless acceptable undertakings are offered. Müller UK & Ireland Group LLP and Dairy Crest Group are two of the three main dairy processors in the UK. Together they process around 3.5 billion litres of milk per year and account for nearly half of the fresh milk consumed in the UK. And the ...
-
Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon gets green light
The application for the Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay proposal has had the go ahead from the Planning Inspectorate. Once built, turbines in the proposed six-mile horseshoe shaped sea wall around Swansea Bay in Wales could generate around 500GWh per year of low carbon electricity. However, separately from the planning consent, the project is subject to Contract for Difference (CfD) negotiations to establish whether a tidal lagoon at Swansea Bay is affordable and value for money for consumers. ...
-
CofE rejects fossil fuel investments
The Church Commissioners and The Church of England Pensions Board have announced they will divest £12 million of investments from the thermal coal and tar sands sectors and will not, in future, make any direct investments in any company where more than 10% of its revenues are derived from the extraction of thermal coal or the production of oil from tar sands. The move follows the adoption of a new climate change policy recommended by the Church's Ethical Investment Advisory Group that sets out how its investing bodies will support the transition to a low carbon economy. The ...
