Friday, 20 April 2012


Hi, here is your weekly round-up of highlights from Out-Law News. As always, there are plenty of other stories from this week. You can also access our archive of weekly emails 

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This week's highlights from Out-Law News

TMT & Sourcing and Intellectual Property
Names of staff members who dealt with complaints are not necessarily personal data, Tribunal says
The names of three junior members of staff who had handled complaints made to the financial services regulator should have been disclosed as part of a freedom of information request as disclosure "did not adversely affect their privacy", a tribunal has ruled.
18/04/2012

Newspapers' Health Lottery stories "outside remit" of advertising watchdog
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has declined to rule on whether two front page newspaper articles promoting a new lottery competition were marketing communications, saying that the content was "outside its remit".
19/04/2012

Citizens Advice to take on OFT consumer protection role, Government announces
An expanded Citizens Advice service is to take over the consumer advice and information roles currently provided by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the Government has announced.
17/04/2012

EU privacy watchdog concerned about costs of new data protection regime
The European Commission may not have "sufficiently recognised" the increased strain enhanced data protection responsibilities will have on national data protection authorities (DPAs), the EU privacy watchdog has said.
17/04/2012

Apple and e-books publishers accused of price fixing conspiracy by US Government in lawsuit
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated legal proceedings against Apple and publishers Penguin and Macmillan alleging that the companies have violated US antitrust laws by colluding to fix the price of electronic books (e-books).
13/04/2012
 

Banking and Restructuring
Alternative investment fund implementation measures "override agreed proposals", EBF warns
Draft proposals which will be used to implement the new European regulatory regime for alternative investment funds "override agreed proposals" and do not provide sufficient legal certainty, the European Banking Federation (EBF) has warned.
16/04/2012
 

Tax
Activists given High Court go ahead to pursue HMRC over alleged 'sweetheart' deals
A group of activists is to raise a preliminary challenge to an alleged 'sweetheart' tax settlement between HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and investment bank Goldman Sachs, according to a national newspaper.
18/04/2012
 

Pensions
Government should consider impact of quantitative easing on pension savers, MPs say
The Government should consider measures to lessen the impact its quantitative easing (QE) policy has had on pensioners and savers as part of the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, a committee of MPs has said.
18/04/2012
 

Employment
Employment cannot transfer automatically from one employer to another without a relevant TUPE transfer
An individual's employment cannot be automatically transferred to another employer without following the proper procedures under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) Regulations, a tribunal has confirmed.
18/04/2012
 

Energy
Government-commissioned report gives cautious go-ahead to shale gas 'fracking'
The Government is seeking comments on an independent report which recommends allowing energy companies to proceed with a controversial shale gas extraction method if steps are taken to limit the risk of earthquakes.
17/04/2012
 

Construction
Government proposes new guidance on major infrastructure planning
The Government is seeking views on changes to six guidance documents relating to the planning regime for major infrastructure projects.
17/04/2012
 


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