On 21 October, the OFT announced that it had referred to the Competition Commission the market for the supply of statutory audit services to large companies in the UK.

Following last year's Jackson reforms, the Ministry of Justice has given consideration to amending its Court Fees.

On 6 October, the Competition Commission published detailed and wide-ranging proposals to open up bus markets across the UK to greater competition.

On 19 October, the High Court rejected an application by members of the industrial copper tubes cartel to strike out parts of damages claims brought against them by Toshiba and others.

On 13 September, the CAT refused Ryanair permission to appeal against the CAT’s July ruling that the OFT’s investigation into the Ryanair/Aer Lingus merger was not time-barred. Ryanair failed to convince the CAT that there was any compelling reason why an appeal should be allowed.

John Fingleton, the Chief Executive of the OFT, commented in a speech on 17 September to the IBA conference in Florence that the OFT will continue to pursue criminal cartel cases regardless of whether they result in successful trials.

On 26 October, the OFT issued a consultation on proposed new guidance on penalties and leniency.

The High Court ruled that a local authority’s failure to carry out an equality impact assessment before changing their funding criteria was unlawful, resulting in the Council reversing their policy.

On 27 September, the European Commission carried out dawn raids at the premises of a large number of companies involved in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas in Central and Eastern Europe.

On 15 September, Joaquin Almunia, the EU Commissioner for Competition, outlined his views on state aid control as a resolution tool in the EU.

On 12 September, the Independent Commission on Banking (the ICB) published its long-awaited report on the proposed reforms to the UK banking sector (known as the Vickers report after the ICB’s chairman, Sir John Vickers).

On 19 October, BAA announced that it is to sell Edinburgh airport as part of the package of remedies imposed on it by the CC following its market investigation into the supply of airport services by BAA in the UK.

One of the most prominent items that has been on the news recently is the 'wildcat' strikes that are taking place across the country.

Chapter 7 of the White Paper considers Justice. Scotland already has its own separate legal system so the potential for change is not as far reaching as in some other areas set out in the White Paper.

Pierre Fabre is a manufacturer of cosmetics and personal care products.

Dismissals for refusing to accept pay cuts after a TUPE Transfer were not for an ETO reason, even when the pay cuts were to avoid redundancies.

In an attempt to recession-proof their business, most employers will have considered cost cutting measures. In the worst case scenario this means redundancies.

As the economy, moves from towards alleged stagnation, and businesses prepare themselves for the long haul of economic depression, many employers are still looking at ways of rationalising costs. The past 12 months have shown that many companies still need to become leaner.

The long running saga of GMB v Allen is nearly over. Today the Court of Appeal issued its decision that the GMB did indirectly discriminate against some of their female members.

Some of the country’s biggest landlords have won a legal battle allowing them to overturn the law on payment of rent as an expense of an administration.