Accountancy Age articles from September 2005

Accountancy Age archives from September 2005

Crackdown on R&D tax relief driven by BE case. Brown's flagship policy under fire amid concerns that credits are misdirected, writes Alex Hawkes.(BE Studios)
September 1, 2005... The government has launched a crackdown on research and development tax credit claims following the recent BE Studios case, which suggested companies were claiming hundreds of thousands of pounds in R&D credits to which they were not entitled....

Trouble in the pipeline: IFRS hits oil company profits at a time when prices are soaring past $70 per barrel. Oil companies cashing in on soaring oil prices and strong demand from emerging markets could face an unexpected brake on profits because of a new accounting standard for oil exploration, writes Nicholas Neveling.(International Financial Reporting Standards)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... It is expected that by next year IFRS will require companies to expense failed prospecting attempts immediately in the P&L, known as successful efforts accounting, instead of amortising dry fields that have always been capitalised. The change...

Insurers in clover as oil sector toils.(company reports, International Financial Reporting Standards)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling. Quoted Lloyd's insurers are set to ramp up profits over the next month when they release their first interim accounts under IFRS. Over the past fortnight, leading insurers Amlin, Beazley and SVB all indicated...

Easier in limbo as struggle to find auditor continues. Search for third auditor in a year has so far proved fruitless, writes Kevin Reed.(Easier.com Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Troubled cash-shell Easier is still searching for a replacement auditor following the resignation of Brebner Allen & Trapp, the second firm to quit the company in just nine months. The search for the company's third auditor in a year was...

IAS27 not for us, says 3i.(accounting standards, 3i Group PLC)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Gavin Hinks. Venture capitalist 3i will not consolidate its accounts because it believes the controversial international standard IAS27 does not apply to it. The FTSE100 group said that it only holds minority stakes in...

OFR is of little use to shareholders. The government's new operating and financial review suffered a major blow after research concluded individual OFRs might be all but impossible to compare, writes Paul Grant.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Research carried out on behalf of ACCA by Nottingham University Business School found that the lack of clear reporting guidelines could mean shareholders cannot use the reports for comparative purposes. 'Because there is a lack of a...

News in brief.(Jarvis PLC consider suing executives, Olympics in London, David Robbie join Rexam PLC)
September 1, 2005... Troubled engineering group Jarvis is considering the possibility of suing former directors and auditors, after a catalogue of problems left it in financial difficulties. Chief executive Alan Lovell, who was brought in last October to stem the...

FDs divided on risk of labour fallout. Strike out: Just over half of FDs do not believe the UK will see a return to the strikes of the 1970s.(finance directors)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The UK's finance directors are divided over whether the country faces more industrial disputes in the wake of Gate Gourmet, according to results from the Accountancy Age/Reed Finance Big Question, writes Nicholas Neveling. Of the 258 FDs...

Board faces US backlash. National standard setters could use forum to voice fears about US project dominance, writes Paul Grant.
September 1, 2005... The International Accounting Standards Board will face a backlash from national standard setters around the world this month, over concerns about US influence on IFRS. A two-day meeting in London, starting 26 September, will see the IASB...

Miners dig in for IFRS clarification.(INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling. Analysts are battling to value booming international mining companies, claiming that international standards are making it more difficult to calculate underlying value. With operations in place across the...

HMRC staff not to blame, says union.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Kevin Reed. HMRC has been slated by union representatives for failing to provide adequate training for call centre staff, or properly functioning IT systems to deal with accountants' queries. After Accountancy Age revealed last...

KPMG's UK branch unscathed.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Alex Hawkes. KPMG's settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) 'has no effect', on its UK operations, the Big Four firm has said. KPMG agreed to a $456m ([pounds sterling]255m) fine and severe restrictions on its US...

Finance week - Annual report disclosures fall short of the mark. Company reports are failing to headline IFRS and key messages, recent research claims, writes Nicholas Neveling.(International Financial Reporting Standard)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The way the UK's leading companies communicate with shareholders in their annual reports has been criticised as ineffective and bland, according to new research. Merchant, a communications consultancy, analysed the annual reports of the...

Company reports.(BHP Billiton Ltd., Rexam PLC, Hilton Group PLC)
September 1, 2005... Diversified mining group BHP Billiton has said its $2.2bn ([pounds sterling]1.23bn) tax charge on earnings before exceptionals represented an effective tax rate of 24.9%. The company said this rate was below the statutory rate of 30% in the UK...

Analysis - ACCA steps up the pressure over unqualifieds. Institute leads calls for government to regulate profession, writes Paul Grant.(Association of Certified Corporate Accountants )
September 1, 2005... For some time now, representatives of the profession have been locking horns with the government over the issue of unqualified accountants. Spearheaded by ACCA, the Department of Trade and Industry has been put under pressure to stop...

Technology - Legal 'flaw' hits Companies House. Concerns arise over the legality of filing client information online, writes Kevin Reed.
September 1, 2005... Accountants have been deterred from filing client information through Companies House online IT system, due to concerns that it encourages accountants to make potentially 'false submissions'. The system allows accountants to file client's...

Technology - IT briefs.(Corgi, Bottom Line Software)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... FTSE350 finance directors have been accused of a 'lack of external vision' for failing to appreciate the benefits of using analytical software to deal with the onerous requirements of the OFR, according to software company Cartesis. Its survey...

Tax - HMRC switches to civil procedure. Modernisation sees merged department taking unified approach to fraud, writes Alex Hawkes.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs)
September 1, 2005... HM Revenue & Customs is to adopt a civil procedure for the investigation of potential fraud committed by taxpayers, in the newly merged department's first revision of its powers. The changes, issued to professional bodies in July, was...

Tax - Court defeat leaves Scotch on the rocks.(Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Scotch whisky industry could face an extra [pounds sterling]30m in tax charges after losing a court battle with the HM Revenue & Customs. The issue stems from a 2002 Revenue ruling stating that companies should pay tax on depreciated stock...

The debate - Get down to business. Supplement the existing A Levels with career-led programmes, says Norman Green. We need to look at past systems to move forward, argues Richard Wilson.
September 1, 2005... Arguing whether the A Level has lost its value misses the point. The real issue is how to prepare our young people for work in today's tough environment and give employers confidence in their 'state of readiness'. The global economy and...

Opinion - A call for action.
September 1, 2005... We revealed last week how accountants had lodged hundreds of complaints over the quality of call centre staff used by HM Revenue & Customs. Accountants have told us how call centre staff are 'unqualified' to provide advice and that the...

The corridors of power ...(lottery licence renewal)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Jon Ashworth, freelance journalist and writer. Becoming self-employed has had a curious side-effect. I find myself queueing up in the local newsagent with other, er, self-employed types to play the National Lottery. My chances of...

Letter - Words of support.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I am writing in response to J Cherryson's letter (11 August page 13). Whilst I have not been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, nor have I been referred for such a diagnosis, I believe that I can empathise strongly with this disorder. As...

Letter - ICAEW provides support scheme.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... While the ICAEW is not qualified to provide specialist help relating to specific medical disorders, (11 August, page 13) it does provide a range of support to members with medical, personal or professional problems via its Support Members...

Letter - Sole superior.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I refer to Andy Raynor's letter 11 August, page 13) criticising a small practitioner's view that small firms provide the best range of services. Being a sole practitioner who devotes five hours a week to up-to-date specialisation and...

Letter - Morally wrong.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... How I echo the views of Name and Address Supplied (19 August, page 13). As a victim of the managerial downsizing in early 1992, I have been following the state of the KPMG Pension Fund (from which I am now benefiting) and on two occasions in...

Letter - No, I won't hold: a caller goes nuclear after failing to glean simple information from HMRC's new enquiry centre.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... I had a conversation with HMRC this afternoon. After 10 minutes trying to get through to the call centre and a further 10 minutes listening to meaningless messages, this dialogue followed: Me: When may my client expect his VAT refund? ...

Insider - Making sense of it all. Preparation, effective controls and thorough communication must be at the heart of an IFRS conversion programme, write Andrew Gordon and David Morell.(International Financial Reporting Standards)
September 1, 2005... UK plc faces the demanding process of conversion to international financial reporting standards at a time of increasing regulatory and shareholder scrutiny. Earlier this year, the Financial Services Authority wrote to the CEOs of listed...

Profile: Ian Barlow, securing London's place on the business map - London calling. London has been gripped by both terror and triumph this summer. As the new chairman of Think London, it's Ian Barlow's job to keep big business on side. Rachel Fielding talks to him about dealing with Olympic opportunities and terrorist threats.(Interview)
September 1, 2005... Ian Barlow has more reason than most to feel pleased about London's successful Olympic bid. Spectating opportunities aside, as the newly-appointed chairman of Think London, the capital's official foreign direct investment agency, he's confident...

Fleet special: lowering costs - In the driving seat. Take control of fleet costs - and your own car choice - by looking at fuel policy and comparing wholelife costs, writes John Maslen.
September 1, 2005... Byline: John Maslen, editor of Fleet News. A company accountant is asked to help choose a company vehicle and is shown two cars. One has a list price of [pounds sterling]18,000, the other is [pounds sterling]20,000. Which is cheapest? ...

Insider - Fleet special: the value of vehicle tracking - Miles better. Vehicle tracking may seem like just another addition to life with Big Brother. But by installing tracking systems in fleet cars, companies are able to manage their vehicles and drivers more effectively - if only they can handle the data, writes Anthony Harrington.
September 1, 2005... Imagine your company could track every vehicle in its fleet, be it an executive car or an engineer's van, at very little cost, wherever it is in the country. Add to this the ability to grab every conceivable type of telemetry data from every...

Insider - Overview - Fruits of his Labour. On the frontline: Somerfield CEO is set to profit from the sale of the grocer, writes Gavin Hinks.(Steve Back)(chief executive officer)
September 1, 2005... There's money to be made in fruit and veg and Steve Back, former finance director and currently chief executive of Somerfield, is about to prove it. Back was made chief executive this time last year after two years as finance director. And...

Insider - Overview - Three steps to ... Turning volunteering to your advantage.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Step 1. Become a trustee As well as making a difference to your community, trusteeship can help you gain new skills and improve career prospects - 73% of employers would choose a candidate with voluntary experience over one without. ...

Insider - Overview - Buzzwords - Hello laziness. (phrase) Clarion call: Accountants of the world unite, it's time to put your feet up.
September 1, 2005... First a caveat: the editor of this publication in no way endorses what follows. Picture the scene: the boardroom at French electricity giant EdF. The subject: 'motivation'. One of the senior economists pipes up that she goes to work,...

Insider - Overview - A Transparent problem with pay.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Sean O'Hare, head of KPMG's executive compensation practice. Transparency is proving to be a bone of contention between institutional investors and listed companies. Institutional investors are calling for more transparency in...

Results: ACCA 2005 - ACCA passed finalists June 2005. Successful candidates in the ACCA final examinations taken in June 2005.
September 1, 2005... A A Thangarajah J J; Abay M K; Abbas I; Abbasi M S; Abdul Sani M A K; Abdul-Salam Malik; Abdumuminov M; Abedi A; Abegunde A O; Abid Mehmood Akram; Abid Nawaz Khan; Aboagye J; Ackrill P W; Adam A; Adams L K; Adams M D; Addo B O; Adeshina C...

Taking Stock - Under cover of accountancy.(Special Air Service accountant?)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Before deciding to dedicate its life to scribbling accountancy gossip, TS whiled away the hours dreaming of parachuting from a Hercules plane in pitch darkness over enemy territory. Unfortunately, for some deep-seated psychological reason, we...

Taking Stock - KPMG stays on as DoJ auditor.(Department of Justice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... TS couldn't help but wince as we read through the US Department of Justice's agreement with KPMG over the firm's tax shelter schemes. It was fined $450m ([pounds sterling]252m) and was forced to agree to having a monitor stationed in its...

Taking Stock - Fighting talk in the ranks.(accountants are changing profession)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Is it TS or are accountants seemingly desperate to get out of the profession these days? If not masquerading as stand-up comediennes, punk rockers or seemingly special agents, they're getting seven bells knocked out of them. News reaches...

Taking Stock - Christmas show.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Followers of our blog will no doubt have heard the tale of the Deloitte duo who have been hitting the stage with their show at Edinburgh Blondes have more fun! But it has now emerged that Marianthe Sitzoukis, from the firm's internal...

Taking Stock - Trigger happy.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... TS has always thought that Aussie soaps nurture the finest pop talent to appear in the UK. You know, Kylie and Danni Minogue, Holly Valance and even good ol' Craig McLachlan. But it's not true. Indeed, it's accountants who are truly TOTP. ...

Business view Even though the vast majority of organisations surveyed by the CBI earlier this year said London was an attractive location for business, the study revealed a complex combination of business opportunities and challenges. Not only did almost.(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Rachel Fielding Business view Even though the vast majority of organisations surveyed by the CBI earlier this year said London was an attractive location for business, the study revealed a complex combination of business...

FREE FUEL? If ever there was an example of an inaccurate description for a product, then free fuel would be the outright winner. Never has a phrase been more misleading or so spectacularly inaccurate than in describing as 'free' something that often cos.
September 1, 2005... FREE FUEL? If ever there was an example of an inaccurate description for a product, then free fuel would be the outright winner. Never has a phrase been more misleading or so spectacularly inaccurate than in describing as 'free'...

PETROL VS DIESEL Companies blindly following the diesel route while ignoring petrol, thinking they are saving money, could be costing themselves and their employers thousands of pounds a year. Many fleets are running diesel cars oblivious to the fact tha.
September 1, 2005... PETROL VS DIESEL Companies blindly following the diesel route while ignoring petrol, thinking they are saving money, could be costing themselves and their employers thousands of pounds a year. Many fleets are running diesel cars...

A Transparent problem with pay.(employee benefits disclosure )
September 1, 2005... Byline: Sean O'Hare A Transparent problem with pay Transparency is proving to be a bone of contention between institutional investors and listed companies. Institutional investors are calling for more transparency in...

Hello laziness.(Corinne Maier sued by EdF)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: damian wild Hello laziness [phrase] Clarion call: Accountants of the world unite, it's time to put your feet up First a caveat: the editor of this publication in no way endorses what follows. Picture the scene: the...

Fruits of his Labour.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Gavin Hinks Fruits of his Labour There's money to be made in fruit and veg and Steve Back, former finance director and currently chief executive of Somerfield, is about to prove it. Back was made chief executive this...

Court defeat leaves Scotch on the rocks.( Scotch whisky industry )
September 1, 2005... Byline: Alex Hawkes Court defeat leaves Scotch on the rocks The Scotch whisky industry could face an extra [pounds sterling]30m in tax charges after losing a court battle with the HM Revenue & Customs. The issue stems from a 2002...

HMRC switches to civil procedure.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Alex Hawkes HMRC switches to civil procedure HM Revenue & Customs is to adopt a civil procedure for the investigation of potential fraud committed by taxpayers, in the newly merged department's first revision of its powers. ...

ACCA steps up the pressure over unqualifieds.(Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant ACCA steps up the pressure over unqualifieds For some time now, representatives of the profession have been locking horns with the government over the issue of unqualified accountants. Spearheaded by ACCA,...

Turn back the clock.
September 1, 2005... Byline: damian wild Turn back the clock The A Level qualification has assumed a variety of roles over the years, but its key purpose is to enable universities to select undergraduates. Now that over a fifth of students are awarded...

Get down to business.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Norman Green Get down to business Arguing whether the A Level has lost its value misses the point. The real issue is how to prepare our young people for work in today's tough environment and give employers confidence in their...

A call for action We revealed last week how accountants had lodged hundreds of complaints over the quality of call centre staff used by HM Revenue & Customs. Accountants have told us how call centre staff are 'unqualified' to provide advice and that the s.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Damian Wild A call for action We revealed last week how accountants had lodged hundreds of complaints over the quality of call centre staff used by HM Revenue & Customs. Accountants have told us how call centre staff are...

Annual report disclosures fall short of the mark.(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling Annual report disclosures fall short of the mark The way the UK's leading companies communicate with shareholders in their annual reports has been criticised as ineffective and bland, according to new...

Under cover of accountancy.(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: James Bennett Under cover of accountancy Before deciding to dedicate its life to scribbling accountancy gossip, TS whiled away the hours dreaming of parachuting from a Hercules plane in pitch darkness over enemy territory....

Trigger happy.(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Kevin Reed Trigger happy TS has always thought that Aussie soaps nurture the finest pop talent to appear in the UK. You know, Kylie and Danni Minogue, Holly Valance and even good ol' Craig McLachlan. But it's not...

Fighting talk in the ranks.(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant Fighting talk in the ranks Is it TS or are accountants seemingly desperate to get out of the profession these days? If not masquerading as stand-up comediennes, punk rockers or seemingly special agents, they're...

IAS27 not for us, says 3i.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Gavin Hinks IAS27 not for us, says 3i By Gavin Hinks Venture capitalist 3i will not consolidate its accounts because it believes the controversial international standard IAS27 does not apply to it. The FTSE100 group...

Insurers in clover as oil sector toils.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling Insurers in clover as oil sector toils By Nicholas Neveling Quoted Lloyd's insurers are set to ramp up profits over the next month when they release their first interim accounts under IFRS. Over the...

Crackdown on R&D tax relief driven by BE case.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Alex Hawkes Crackdown on R&D tax relief driven by BE case The government has launched a crackdown on research and development tax credit claims following the recent BE Studios case, which suggested companies were claiming...

FDs divided on risk of labour fallout.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling FDs divided on risk of labour fallout The UK's finance directors are divided over whether the country faces more industrial disputes in the wake of Gate Gourmet, according to results from the Accountancy...

Acca results 2005.
September 1, 2005... A A Thangarajah J J; Abay M K; Abbas I; Abbasi M S; Abdul Sani M A K; Abdul-Salam Malik; Abdumuminov M; Abedi A; Abegunde A O; Abid Mehmood Akram; Abid Nawaz Khan; Aboagye J; Ackrill P W; Adam A; Adams L K; Adams M D; Addo B O; Adeshina C...

London calling.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Rachel Fielding LONDON CALLING Ian Barlow has more reason than most to feel pleased about London's successful Olympic bid. Spectating opportunities aside, as the newly-appointed chairman of Think London, the capital's...

In the driving seat.
September 1, 2005... Byline: John Maslen IN THE DRIVING SEAT A company accountant is asked to help choose a company vehicle and is shown two cars. One has a list price of [pounds sterling]18,000, the other is [pounds sterling]20,000. Which is...

Making sense of it all.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Andrew Gordon and David Morell MAKING SENSE OF IT ALL UK plc faces the demanding process of conversion to international financial reporting standards at a time of increasing regulatory and shareholder scrutiny. Earlier...

Miles better.(automobile industry)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Anthony Harrington MILES better Imagine your company could track every vehicle in its fleet, be it an executive car or an engineer's van, at very little cost, wherever it is in the country. Add to this the ability to grab every...

Turning volunteering to your advantage.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Rachel Fielding Three steps toa[bar] Turning volunteering to your advantage Step 1 Become a trustee As well as making a difference to your community, trusteeship can help you gain new skills and improve career...

Company reports.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling COMPANY REPORTS Diversified mining group BHP Billiton has said its $2.2bn ([pounds sterling]1.23bn) tax charge on earnings before exceptionals represented an effective tax rate of 24.9%. The company said this...

KPMG.(KPMG L.L.P. (New York, New York))(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... TS couldn't help but wince as we read through the US Department of Justice's agreement with KPMG over the firm's tax shelter schemes. It was fined $450m ([pounds sterling]252m) and was forced to agree to having a monitor stationed in its...

Deloitte duo.(Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Byline: Alex Hawkes Followers of our blog will no doubt have heard the tale of the Deloitte duo who have been hitting the stage with their show at Edinburgh Blondes have more fun! But it has now emerged that Marianthe Sitzoukis, from...

OFR is of little use to shareholders.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant OFR is of little use to shareholders The government's new operating and financial review suffered a major blow after research concluded individual OFRs might be all but impossible to compare, writes Paul Grant....

In Brief.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant Troubled engineering group Jarvis is considering the possibility of suing former directors and auditors, after a catalogue of problems left it in financial difficulties. Chief executive Alan Lovell, who was brought in...

Trouble in the pipeline.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling Oil companies cashing in on soaring oil prices and strong demand from emerging markets could face an unexpected brake on profits because of a new accounting standard for oil exploration, writes Nicholas...

Adviser: Something to complain about.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Phil Shohet and Andrew Jenner Adviser: Something to complain about Dealing with client complaints is something that nobody relishes, but they are inevitable in a business that is all about personal service and requires a...

Tough guys are a liability.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Norman Green Tough guys are a liability Any employer or manager who relies on a heavy-handed leadership style is now more likely to face a claim of unfair dismissal from an increasingly empowered workforce. ...

Taxman eyes up [pounds sterling]300m in VAT from high street. VAT schemes set up by Debenhams and other high street retailers may be hit by second claim, writes Alex Hawkes.
September 8, 2005... Retailers who set up Debenhams-style tax avoidance schemes could end up paying more in tax as a result of implementing the scheme, than if they had never bothered. Users of the schemes, which allowed 70 or so high street retailers to save...

DTI offers 'true and fair' support.(Dawe Charitable Trust)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant. Investors and the accounting profession met with government representatives this week, seeking assurances that changes to regulations and accounting standards would not spell the end of the 'true and fair view' audit....

HMRC cuts front line staff. More than 100 HM Revenue & Customs call centre staff are being moved from front-line services before the end of the year, despite widespread concern that service levels from the department are falling woefully short of the mark, writes Kevin Reed.
September 8, 2005... Accountants have flooded their institutes with complaints over the quality of advice from HMRC call centre staff, with ICAEW tax faculty technical manger Jane Moore stating there would be 'even more friction' if the department moved to use call...

Andersen UK escapes Enron probe.
September 8, 2005... Byline: Paul Grant. The Joint Disciplinary Scheme has dropped its investigation into former Big Five firm Andersen over the Enron scandal, after finding no evidence requiring further action. Andersen's UK firm was referred to the JDS...

December D-day for Deloitte. Independent tribunal date for Capital Corporation case is set, writes Paul Grant.
September 8, 2005... The disciplinary hearing of Deloitte and its UK chairman Martin Scicluna over the firm's work with controversial casino company Capital Corporation will begin on 12 December. Scheduled for five days, the behind-closed-doors, independent...

R&D assessments 'almost impossible'. Assessments on eligibility for R&D tax credits have become 'almost impossible', according to the Federation of Small Businesses, writes Alex Hawkes.
September 8, 2005... Responding to the crackdown in the wake of the BE Studios case, Simon Sweetman, vice-chairman of the FSB's taxation unit, said the most difficult claims were over software packages. 'Those decisions are almost impossible,' he added. ...

Leather joins Olympic team.(David Leather joins Olympic Delivery Authority)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Neveling. David Leather, who was appointed as chief financial officer of the Olympic Delivery Authority last week, has told Accountancy Age he is 'delighted' to be a part of the 2012 games. An Ernst & Young partner and...

News in brief.(accounting services employment, tax relief for charities)
September 8, 2005... This month's Accountancy Age Careers Fair will play host to investment bank Lehman Brothers, insurance giant Prudential, the Financial Services Authority, PKF and BDO Stoy Hayward, among other exhibitors. The event, which is being sponsored by...

HMRC takes legal advice as EDS compensation talks fail. HM Revenue & Customs is 'considering its legal options', after negotiations with systems supplier EDS for compensation over the failed tax credits system broke down, writes our parliamentary correspondent.
September 8, 2005... Accountancy Age revealed in June that HMRC was considering making a High Court claim for up to [pounds sterling]100m in compensation, unless an agreement could be reached. But a House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report out today...