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Issue 15; 30 July 1999
Summary | House of Lords Debate | PCG Hold Open Meeting
In Abredeen | New Article in the FT | Contractors Discuss
Setting Up New Business
Summary
It has been a month since the last newsletter. I promised
at the outset of engineerjob.com; informed analysis and
the last four weeks has seen much speculation on the outcome
of the discussions to date, but not many hard facts. The
key institutions including the PCG continue to push for
a consultative process. PCG members remain focused on the
key issues and stress that they consider themselves genuine
businesses, not in disguised employment and should be taxed
accordingly. An announcement is expected shortly, however
time is very short if a carefully considered solution is
to be introduced, especially as many companies are freezing
computer systems in October ready for Y2K.
House of Lords debate Welfare reform bill
A full report on the debate held on 20th July is available
for members on the PCG web site, but in essence the Government
has promised it will rethink the proposals and come back
to the Lords to hold a seminar on this issue, possibly during
the recess. PCG members provided speaking notes to Lord
Weatherill for distribution and the Earl of Kintore has
taken a briefing from Aberdeen members and has promised
that he will attend the seminar.
PCG hold open meeting in Aberdeen
About 250 contractors crowded out the PCG open meeting in
Aberdeen on 19th July - with standing room only. David Ramsden
opened the proceedings with an explanation of IR35 and the
campaign. Cross-bencher, the Earl of Kintore explained why
he would be speaking against the clause when it comes up
in Committee in the Welfare Reform Bill, Cliff Grover a
PCG member gave the perspective from a contractors point
of view. Sir Robert Smith, he local MP, who was in the audience
also spoke against the proposals. The meeting was then thrown
open to questions. Each questioner expressed their concern
and worry - with a general feeling that the oil and gas
ndustry in Aberdeen would suffer greatly if this went through.
News article in the FT
Jim Kelly in an article in the FT discusses the impact that
PCG members have made on the Government proposals contained
in IR 35. "They have been really effective. They are an
articulate bunch and they've used the technology," says
Frank Haskew, of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
in England and Wales, which has backed the campaign. In
the long-term, the campaign will be seen as evidence that
information technology is power. By contrast, construction
workers - similarly about to face a new regime to prevent
tax avoidance - have hardly caused a ripple.
Proof, if needed, that by joining the campaign you can make
a difference.
Contractors to discuss setting up new business
PCG members have experienced over the last two months how
we have mananaged to share information, discuss action and
then implement. We have decided to set up a seperate discussion
forum to explore how we may use the techniques we have developed
in a commercial environment. The forum will be open to existing
members of the PCG and remain open until the end of August
for members to join. Several ideas have been already floated
including a Contractor run agency through to a Consultancy.
For PCG members you can register at: http://www.engineerjob.com/login/
PCG members; please note site is at beta stage, please use
the discussion forums to recommend changes or report problems.
PCG Brochure
Hopefully, if your ISP allows, you will find a pdf attachment
to this email which has more details on the PCG. The reader
software is available at Adobe
Download
Please note we will not send word attachments
If the attachment is not present you can download the brochure
from
http://www.ir35update.co.uk/brochure_pcg_01.pdf (66kb)
Kind regards
Andy White
News: http://www.engineerjob.com
Campaign: http://www.engineerjob.com
Email [email protected]
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