Whether to allow the substitution of high level radioactive waste for intermediate level waste when returning wastes produced by the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel to its country of origin.

This consultation seeks your views on proposals for the management of ENUM in the UK under self-regulation by the industry. ENUM is a system that links telephone numbers to Internet locations and identities such as email addresses, giving increased flexibility to electronic communications.

The DTI wishes to ensure that the proposed framework will result in open and fair competition and at the same time provide adequate safeguards to protect the public interest.

The consultation process includes a public workshop being held in London on 29 September 2004 to enable more detailed discussions. Further information available week commencing 23 August on the DTI e-communications website.

DTI has launched a consultation on a consumer strategy for the next 5 - 10 years. The consultation is aimed at a wide group of stakeholders including consumer and business representatives and enforcers.

The strategy sets out the practical actions required to bring the UK up to world-class standards for consumers.

Views are invited on proposals for empowering consumers, improving consumer representation and complaints handling in the regulated industries, clarifying the law, helping consumers and business to resolve problems, and improving the enforcement of a fair and safe trading environment.

This consultation document seeks views on proposals for how to calculate the turnover of a water enterprise.

This change will be required for the water merger regime set out in the Water Industry Act 1991 when it is amended by the Enterprise Act 2002 and the Water Act 2003. In this new regime turnover needs to be calculated for the purposes of determining whether the Office of Fair Trading has a duty to make a merger reference to the Competition Commission. Turnover is also relevant to the fee payable for regulatory scrutiny of a merger.

This consultation seeks views on proposals to simplify existing weights and measures rules for packaged goods. The main proposal is the revision of the Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 1986 so that they are simpler and easier to understand.

Fairness for All: A New Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Consultation seeking views on Draft Directive applying to companies with share capital from different Member States and establishing common rules across the EU governing cross-border mergers.   

With this consultation, the Government seek views on proposals to amend the current Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997. The proposed amendments include a ban on the sale of air bombs, tightening up the definition of mini rockets and to change the Regulations in such a way as to encourage retailers to be sure that they are not supplying to those under the age of 18. In addition to the draft Regulations, the document also includes a draft Regulatory Impact Assessment for comment.

Further information on the Firework Regulations

This consultation seeks views on a Bill to consolidate the existing legislation on "Wireless Telegraphy". There are currently six Acts relating to this subject including the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Replacing the existing legislation with a single Act will make the legislation much easier for all users of radio spectrum to understand and use. Some legal inconsistencies and problems have been removed from the legislation and the text of the Bill written so that it is easier to understand. A main object of the consolidation Bill is to reproduce the same legal effect as the current legislation. Thus no policy changes to the current legislation have been made. Specific questions on the Bill are raised in the consultation and general views on the Bill are sought.

The DTI is consulting on the draft legislation to implement the remedies recommended in the 2003 Competition Commission Report on the supply of extended warranties on domestic electrical goods.

The draft guidance relates to the draft Order as published in the consultation document. A finalised version of the guidance will be published with the final Order.

The Government is considering moving towards a focussed set of national productivity indicators in order to benchmark the UK’s productivity performance against its major competitors.  This consultation document, jointly conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury, seeks the views of users and producers of productivity indicators, and other interested parties, on three areas:

• The proposal to move towards a focussed set of national productivity indicators that could be used to track progress towards the specific objective of raising the rate of UK productivity growth over the economic cycle and narrowing the productivity gap with its competitors.  In this consultation document the Government proposes a short set of indicators based around the ‘five drivers’ framework, and invites views.
• The methodology used to calculate the evolution of the productivity gap over time. 
• The applicability of using a similar set of regional productivity indicators.  How the approach taken for developing national productivity indicators could be applied at the regional level, and suggestions for possible indicators.

This consultation sought views and objective evidence on issues relating to director and auditor liability.

Consultation seeking views on the proposed directive dealing with the statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts.

This consultation document seeks your views on a proposal for a European Directive that would place restrictions on the marketing and use of toluene and TCB. These proposals have been made in order to limit risks to the consumer and the environment from exposure to these chemicals.

This Consultation seeks views on proposals for the implementation of new anti-discrimination law under the European Employment Directive. It is the first consultation to focus exclusively on proposals for age legislation.

Background information on proposals to outlaw age discrimination.

Consultation document on the government's commitment to consider introducing common commencement dates to areas of UK national law.

Consultation document seeking views on the 7th European Union Framework Programme, a multi-annual programme funding collaborative research and development.

Consultation paper seeking views on draft EU Batteries Directive to inform UK Governments discussions with the European Commission

A consultation on the draft regulations for the operating and financial review and directors' report

This wide-ranging Directive aims to cut through much of the red tape restricting service provision in the EU. Its aims are to make it much easier for service providers to set themselves up in any EU member state and to provide services across internal EU borders.

This consultation seeks your views on the draft General product Safety Regulations 2005 that will implement the 2001 Directive. The Government is also inviting views on the partial Regulatory Impact Assessment, Annex D to the consultation document (Annexes at http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/consultations.htm).

The Government seeks your comments on this consultation document, which sets out the proposed rules and procedures for the operation of the Union Modernisation Fund (UMF). The Fund is the result of a new power created by the Employment Relations Act 2004 allowing the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to make money available to help trade unions modernise their operations. Between £5 and £10 million (total) will be available, spread over a number of years. The DTI held extensive informal consultations with a broad range of stakeholders during the summer, and proposals in the public consultation document are based on feedback from these discussions.

A consultation document on the implementation of the accounting modernisation directive and arrangements for the use of IAS for companies and building societies.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Northern Ireland Equality Scheme sets out how the DTI aims to meet its statutory obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The DTI has carried out a systematic review (“screening”) of all of its policies, functions and activities in Northern Ireland in terms of the impact on equality of opportunity for the nine categories in the Act.

More information about the DTI's Northern Ireland Equality Scheme

The European Commission published a Directive on the re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector information on 1^st January 2004, which set out a minimum level of harmonisation of the rules and administration across the European Union.

More information about this consultation

In November 2003 the Government published a consultation paper setting out proposals for implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directives.

The 1964 Act lays down detailed rules for schemes that provide goods in return for trading stamps, but the Government does not believe that specific legislation is still needed in this area. Updating and harmonising the legal framework should reduce compliance costs for retailers and scheme promoters, while maintaining necessary protection for consumers.

Views are sought on the proposed changes to the Renewables Obligation as set out in this document, on the
attached Regulatory Impact Assessment and on the draft amendment Order.The Renewables Obligation Amendment) Order Statutory Consultation 

The European Commission has proposed a Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices. The proposed Directive includes a general prohibition on unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices and specific rules aimed at combating on misleading and aggressive practices. The aim of this consultation is to seek views to inform the UK Government position for the forthcoming negotiations.

Along with the consultation document, the DTI is also publishing an executive summary of a legal study it commissioned on the potential impact of adopting a 'duty to trade fairly'.

This consultation document seeks views on new draft Employment Tribunal Regulations and Rules. The primary purpose of the changes that are being proposed is to implement the Tribunal reform provisions of the Employment Act 2002. They also act upon some recommendations made by the Employment Tribunal System Taskforce. In addition, the opportunity has been taken to improve the structure of the legislation and recast it in more "English" terms to improve its user-friendliness.

This discussion document seeks your initial views on how the Government  and Devolved Administrations should transpose and implement the requirements of two related European Directives. These are the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive and the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (ROHS) Directive. 

The ROHS Directive deals with reserved matters relating to the European Single Market and will be implemented for the United Kingdom by DTI. The WEEE Directive deals mainly with devolved environmental matters.

Public consultation on modernising the policy for decommissioning the UK's nuclear facilities.

This public consultation paper invites views on proposals for a new type of company, the Community Interest Company (CIC). We welcome views on all aspects of the proposals outlined in the paper. A summary of the most important proposals is set out at page 24.

Investigation Powers: Parliament is currently debating the Companies(Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Bill. The Bill contains provisions to give company inspectors and investigators a power to enter and remain on premises used for the business of the company under investigation, subject to certain safeguards. This consultation is seeking views on the draft regulations relating to the safeguards and also seeking views on plans for commencement of the investigations provisions in the Bill.

Measuring Instruments Directive: Consultation on the approach to implementation

The Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) was agreed in April 2004 and covers a number of measuring instrument types, including gas and electricity meters, petrol pumps and automatic weighing instruments, which are regulated in the UK and many, but not all, of the other European Union (EU) Member States. We at National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML), together with DfT and Ofgem, are now required to implement the Directive. This is a consultation on our implementation plans. We welcome views on our proposals for implementation of the MID, information about the costs and benefits of implementation and, in particular, we are interested in exploring the opportunities for deregulating types of measuring instruments. We welcome comments from all who are interested in our proposals, especially manufacturers, consumers and enforcement officers.

Consultation on a possible exemption from the requirement for a gas transporters licence in respect of Star Energy Ltd's pipeline from the Humbly Grove gas storage facility. 

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI's Energy Website.

These consultation proposals are drawn from Sir Michael Latham's recent
review of the operation of Part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and
Regeneration Act 1996 and the Scheme for Construction Contracts (England
and Wales) Regulations 1998.

This consultation is a joint exercise between the DTI and Welsh Assembly
Government covering the primary and secondary legislation in both
jurisdictions. It is intended to build a general consensus on the way
forward. Should clear support for changes to the legislation be identified,
there will then be consultation on draft amendments.

The consultation covers changes to the Companies Act 1985 concerning summary financial statements.  It also covers three other minor amendments that are consequential on the introduction of International Accounting Standards.

European Company Law and Corporate Governance: Directive Proposals on Company Reporting, Capital Maintenance and Transfer of the Registered Office of a Company

Consultation on proposals to implement remedies recommended in the 2003 Competition Commission Report on the supply of prescription-only medicines (POMs) for veterinary use.

The consultation is intended to secure views on the scope, timing and form of an Order which is intended to remedy or prevent the adverse effects on the public interest identified in the Competition Commission's report and to implement the remedies suggested.

The Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) has for many years recovered the large part of its operating costs for regulating the civil nuclear industry from nuclear site licensees. The Government now intends to put these arrangements on a statutory basis, in order to provide OCNS with a power to raise fees from those organisations it regulates and to bring these arrangements into line with government policy on charging for regulatory services. This change requires secondary legislation. The intention to introduce statutory fees was mentioned as part of a public consultation that took place on the nuclear industry security arrangements in July 2002. At that time proposals for the detailed charging methodology had not been developed. Before finalising the fees regulations we are now seeking your views on the proposed methodology, as well as the draft regulations.

Company Law: Flexibility and Accessibility Consultation seeking views on proposals for powers to enable a special form of secondary legislation to be used, in defined ways, to reform and restate company law. 

Third stage public consultation on the UK's National Allocation Plan for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Further information can be found on the DEFRA Website.

A consultation document inviting interested parties to provide the information on the possible economic benefits and costs of the Law Commissions' proposals to reform partnership law. 

This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce Regulations to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetic products and to prohibit, with specified timescales, the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients. The Regulations will also provide for enhanced labelling requirements.

This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce Regulations to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetic products and to prohibit, with specified timescales, the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients. The Regulations will also provide for enhanced labelling requirements.

This consultation document seeks views on proposed amendments to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) rules.

The proposed amendments are designed to serve two purposes: first, to ensure consistency with proposed new Employment Tribunal Regulations and Rules, on which public consultation has recently been concluded; and, secondly, to effect some relatively minor but worthwhile improvements in procedure, including as regards the disposal of meritless appeals at the outset

This consultation invites views on European Commission proposals to amend the guidelines governing regional aid (which define assisted areas and aid intensities allowed within them) after 2006. Against the background of EU enlargement and European Council decisions to move towards less and better targeted state aid, the proposals would result in reductions in eligibility for such aid in the UK and the other longer standing Member States, though additional levels of aid would be permitted for SMEs outside the assisted areas. This consultation seeks the views of all interested parties to help inform the Government's response to the Commission proposals.

Responses Documents

Are available on the DTI's Consumer and Competition Policy Website .

This consultation seeks views on changes to three areas of the Distance Selling Regulations, to make them clearer and more workable for business and consumers. The changes will affect firms supplying goods and services to consumers and other stakeholders including enforcement authorities, advice agencies and consumers. One of the key provisions of the Regulations is a right to cancel the contract. We propose changes to how consumers are informed about this and how they may exercise their right.

Further information on Distance Selling

Rules have already been made for proceedings in appeals made to the Competition Appeals Tribunal. However, these rules do not address a new class of appeals which could arise under the Communications Act 2003, namely appeals containing price control matters which should be referred to the Competition Commission for determination. This document sets out the Department's proposals for making further rules to address such appeals and to make some minor corrections to the existing rules; and invites comments on these proposals

The Employment Tribunals Service is conducting this consultation.  This consultation document seeks views on proposed new Employment Tribunal claim and response forms.

The Employment Act 2002 allows the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to prescribe the forms to be used by a claimant to initiate an Employment Tribunal claim and by the respondent to reply to it.

The intention is that new forms will be finalised, in light of responses to this consultation, during the summer and be prescribed from 1 October 2004 with their use becoming mandatory only from 6 April 2005.

More information about this consultation

The End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive (2000/53/EC) came into force on 21 October 2000. It lays down measures which aim, as a first priority, at the prevention of waste from vehicles and, in addition, at the reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery of end-of-life vehicles and their components so as to reduce the disposal of waste, as well as at the improvement in the environmental performance of all the economic operators involved in the lifecycle of vehicles and especially the operators directly involved in the treatment of end-of-life vehicles.

A Consultation for exemption from the requirement for a licence to generate electricity:  Proposal to make the Electricity (Exemption from the Requirement for a Generation Licence) Order 2004.

Consultation on the provision of Alternative Dispute Resolution for disputes arising under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

A Consultation on the DTI's economic analysis on issues arising from increased competition in international services. This document highlights areas for possible further research and invites contributions from interested parties. 

A Consultation document on the future of Compulsory Stocking Obligations for oil.

The DTI has carried out an equality impact assessment which focuses on whether the National Minimum Wage has had a differential impact on any of the groups of people listed under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

This consultation seeks your views on a number of legislative options for improving the protection of consumers purchasing goods or services in their homes.

This consultation paper seeks views on the current operation of the individual opt out from the 48-hour working time limit in the UK and ways to improve its application.

This is a preliminary consultation paper and does not contain Government proposals for changes to law. As such this paper contains an initial regulatory impact assessment (RIA) and invites comment on a series of questions specific to the RIA, in addition to the issues raised in the paper. When legislative proposals are made we will undertake a formal consultation and produce a more comprehensive RIA to accompany it.

This information gathering process will help inform future policy developments and negotiation on the Working Time Directive.

On 30 July 2004, the Government published a consultation paper seeking views from stakeholders on the draft implementing Regulations and non-statutory guidance for WEEE and RoHS.

This consultation is seeking views on the content of a Carbon Abatement Technology (CAT) Strategy, which is currently being developed by the DTI's Cleaner Fuels Unit for publication at the end of 2004. There is a variety of issues to be considered around such a Strategy, covering not only technical development but also non-technical issues such as regulatory requirements environmental issues.

The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia Hewitt, has published a White Paper on Trade and Investment called, 'Making Globalisation a Force for Good'.

The White Paper deals with the question of how we can harness the power of globalisation, not only in the UK but in every country, especially in the developing world. It addresses the implications of globalisation nationally and internationally and sets out a vision of a world trading system which is fair as well as free.

View full details of the 'Making Globalisation a Force for Good' White Paper.

The Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2003 statutory consultation on late payments.

Consultation on making the Extortionate Credit Provisions within the Consumer Credit Act 1974 more effective

This consultation seeks views on proposals for changes to the extortionate credit provisions under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. In particular, the consultation outlines a range of options for improving protection for consumers against extortionate credit agreements and related practices, including consumer redress and alternative mechanisms for dispute resolution.

Consultation on a new good practice guide to applying the 1998 Enforcement Concordat

The consultation asks general questions about the content and structure of the 'Good Practice Guide' and specific questions about how enforcement bodies' compliance with the Enforcement Concordat can be measured.

The Enforcement Concordat sets out what business and others being regulated can expect from enforcement officers in terms of good enforcement policies and procedures.

Consultation on extending the Working Time Regulations to previously excluded sectors

Information for this Consultation is available on the DTI Employment Relations Website

Consultation on amendments to the Timeshare Act 1992; and  proposed new Timeshare (Cancellation Information) Order

This consultation sets out the Government’s proposal to replace the requirement to provide separate cancellation notices and forms with a requirement to include information on cancellation rights and a cancellation coupon within the relevant contract. Under the proposals the Timeshare (Cancellation Notices) Order 1992 would be repealed and the relevant requirements set out in the new Timeshare (Cancellation Information) Order.

Further information on this Consultation is available on the DTI's CCP Website

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI Energy website.

A consultation looking into the future of a consumers right to end hire purchase and conditional sale agreements was launched today by the DTI. The aim of the consultation is to inform Government policy on whether voluntary termination (VT) legislation is in the right format and relevant in today's modern consumer credit market.

A consultation paper seeking views on a number of limited changes to the Renewables Obligation Order was published on 8 September 2004. The intention is to secure the Renewables Obligation and further improve its operation. Comments on the proposals are requested by 1 December 2004.

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI Energy Website

The Energy Act 2004 provides for a right of appeal to the Competition Commission against Ofgem decisions on modifications to certain gas and electricity network codes. This consultation is concerned with licence changes that will be required to implement the funding mechanism for this right of appeal.

Further information on this Consultation is available on the DTI's Energy Website.

The Energy Act 2004 provides for a right of appeal to the Competition Commission against Ofgem decisions on modifications to certain gas and electricity network codes. The Act provides for an Order by the Secretary of State to designate which codes are subject to this right of appeal, and which types of decisions are excluded from appeals. This consultation is concerned with the details of this order.

Further information on this Consultation is available on the DTI's Energy Website.

This consultation seeks views on a set of draft Regulations to be made about community interest companies (CICs) under the Companies (Audit, Investigation and Community Enterprise) Bill. We are specifically seeking responses from organisations and individuals on a number of matters that have previously been of interest to the social enterprise sector or where multiple options are being considered.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's CICs Website

The consultation seeks views on the proposed simplification of weights and measures food regulation which aims to protect consumers against being sold short weight or measure food and alcoholic drinks. The main proposal is the consolidation of the exisitng eight orders into a single new order.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's CCP Website.

DTI is consulting on a new Order which seeks to place the existing Government policy on Common Tarrif Obligation on a sound legal footing. This policy seeks to ensure that electricity suppliers in the North of Scotland maintained prices for comparable customers that did not vary for geographical location within that region.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's Energy Website.

The Energy Act 2004 provides for a payment to be made to an electricity distributor, when that distributor faces costs that are significantly higher than the costs of distributors in other areas of Britain. The payment must be passed on from the distributor to suppliers in that area, and will be funded by charges on suppliers across Britain.

The aim of this scheme is to protect consumers in areas with high distribution costs from the relatively high electricity costs that would otherwise arise, and it is intended to replace a similar scheme known as ‘Hydro benefit’ which was removed in January 2004. It is intended that this will benefit customers in the North of Scotland, where there are the highest distribution costs in Britain by a significant margin. This consultation is concerned with details of the operation of the scheme.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's Energy Website.

A consultation on the Proposed Exemption For Certain Gas Transporters From a Prohibition on Conducting Particular Shipper Activities

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's Energy Website.

This consultation will last no longer than 3 weeks - given the minor nature of the changes proposed.

This consultation document seeks your views on a number of supplementary proposals to amend the Fireworks Regulations 2004 ("") using powers under the Fireworks Act 2000.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's CCP Website

Draft code of practice covering access and unfair practices during ballots to decide whether a trade union should be recognised or derecognised for collective bargaining purposes.

Further information on this Consultation is available on the DTI Employment Relations Website.

To ask the oil industry and associated supply side their ideas on how technical models should be archived and digitally exchanged.

Further information on this consultation can be found the DTI's Oil & Gas Website.

This is a consultation on draft regulations requiring companies to provide more detail about the types of services that they and their associates have purchased from their auditors and their associates, and to ensure that this information is published in one place.  The intention is to give shareholders and others information on which to make a judgment about whether the provision of non-audit services is a threat to a company auditor’s objectivity or independence and to enable users of accounts to make meaningful comparisons across companies.

Assistance for Areas with High Electricity Distribution Costs - Part II: Consultation on detailed licence provisions

Seeks responses from holders of licences for electricity supply, transmission and distribution, and other interested parties, on the scheme for financial assistance to be provided by electricity transmitters to some distributors, proposed by the Energy Act 2004. This second part of the consultation is concerned with licence amendments required for the operation of the scheme, and is closely related to a separate DTI consultation (released on 20 October 2004 and running in parallel) concerned with details of the operation of the scheme.

Further information on this consultation can be found on the DTI's Energy Website.

Licence exemptable 50-100 MW generating stations connected on or before 30 September 2000 - Consultation on draft Order to harmonise arrangements in Scotland with those in England and Wales

This is a limited consultation to harmonise the positions of a class of small generators in Scotland with those in England and Wales. The proposed legislation will only affect the licence exempt status of generating stations in Scotland that export between 50 and 100MW, and that were connected on or before 30th September 2000. The Government believe that this scope is restricted to four energy-generating stations owned by one company, Scottish and Southern Energy Plc (SSE). This issue has arisen as a consequence of the introduction of BETTA which applies electricity trading arrangements based upon those that currently operate in England and Wales, with some modifications, to apply across Great Britain. It is currently anticipated that this will happen on 1 April 2005.

Further information on this consultation can be found on the DTI's Energy Website.

The aim is to seek your views on the proposals for Regulations implementing a Directive of the European Parliament and Council on the re-use of public sector information. It introduces the proposed approach informed by the earlier Consultation in September 2003.

Further information on this consultation is available on the DTI's Industries and Sectors Digital Content Website.

This consultation seeks your views on the draft Regulation for a new EU scheme of generalised tariff preferences, to be negotiated early 2005. It is expected that the Regulation will enter into force on 1 July 2005. Early feedback will assist with the formulation of the UK Government position. The Government is also inviting views on the partial Regulatory Impact Assessment.

A consultative document on the implementation of the European directive on takeover bids (the Takeovers Directive).

Consultation on a European Proposal to prohibit certain carcinogens, mutagens and substances toxic to reproduction (cmrs) being placed on the market for sale to the general public.

This consultation seeks your views on a European Commission Proposal for a Directive that will, if adopted, prohibit for sale to the general public a further 42 substances capable of inducing cancer, hereditary genetic defects and non-hereditary congenital malformations. Views on all aspects of the Proposal are invited, but particularly on any impact the proposed measures might have on industry and the consumer.

The DTI consults on commitments set out in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report to help parents and carers better balance work and family life.

Further information on this consultation can be found on the DTI's Employment Relations Website.

This consultation document explains the changes we are proposing to make to sex discrimination legislation in Great Britain and seeks views on draft regulations to implement the amended Equal Treatment Directive.  It will be of particular interest to those of you who responded to the sex discrimination elements of the Government’s October 2002 consultation Equality and Diversity: The Way Ahead.  We have taken account of the views you provided about some of the specific requirements of the amended Equal Treatment Directive.  As stated in that consultation, we are aiming, as far as possible, to achieve consistency across our equality legislation and increase the clarity of our sex discrimination legislation.

Further information on this consultation can be found on the DTI's Women and Equality website.

This consultation seeks views on the implementation of European Commission Directive 2000/52/EC amending Directive 80/723/EEC of June 1980 on the transparency of financial relations between Member States and public undertakings, and on financial transparency within certain undertakings. The primary purpose of the consultation is to gather information on who is likely to be caught by the Directive and whether there are already legislative provisions or other requirements in place that would meet some or all of the Directive's requirements, so that we can judge how best to implement. It is aimed primarily at Chief Finance Officers and their teams.

The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) will be piloted as a capitalised Trading Fund from April 2005, with the intent of introducing a statutory Trading Fund from April 2007.  This note describes the proposed method used for estimating ECGD’s economic cost, including all inputs and assumptions. The spreadsheet applies the method in order to model the economic cost.  We would welcome comments and questions about the approach taken, which will be taken into account when this methodology is reviewed as part of the 2006 Spending Review.

Consultation on the offshore petroleum activities (oil pollution prevention and control) regulations 2004" [supplementary re-consultation - May 2004]

Further information for this Consultation is available on the DTI's Oil and Gas Website.

Consultation on the offshore petroleum activities (oil pollution prevention and control) regulations 2004" [second supplementary re-consultation - October 2004 ]

Further information on this Consultation is available on the DTI's Oil and Gas Website.

This is a preliminary consultation on the 2005-6 Review of the Renewables Obligation.  Views are sought on a limited number of options for changes to the Renewables Obligation that are set out in this document.  A Statutory Consultation will follow in Summer 2005.

Further information is available on the DTI Renewable Energy Website.

ECGD has launched a consultation on changes to the anti-bribery and corruption procedures it introduced in December 2004. This webpage includes the consultation document and annexes, plus the associated partial Regulatory Impact Assessment and annex. The consultation is being conducted under Cabinet Office guidelines, and will run for a period of three months. When the consultation closes on 18 June 2005, ECGD will consider all the representations it has received. The Government response to the consultation, containing a summary of views expressed and the decisions finally taken, will be issued within three months of the close of consultation.

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the ECGD Website.

This consultation seeks your views on the proposed implementation of a European Directive that has amended the requirements with which all piercing post assemblies, intended to be inserted into pierced ears etc., have to conform. The rate of nickel release has replaced nickel content as the basis of conformity. Views are invited on a draft of the new Regulations and a draft of the Guidance Notes to the Regulations. We are particularly interested in your views on the likely impact the new Regulations will have on industry and the consumer.

This consultation document seeks views as to whether or not the draft
Regulations attached at Annex A will correctly and effectively implement
the Government’s intended reform of the Transfer of Undertakings
(Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 - commonly known as the
TUPE Regulations. These Regulations safeguard employees’ rights when
the business in which they work changes hands between employers.

Views are not sought on policy issues underlying the reform of the
Regulations, as the Government has already taken firm decisions on
these, following extensive prior consultations, both formal and informal.
These decisions were announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and
Industry on 14 February 2003.

Start: 15 March 2005
Close: 7 June 2005

This is a consultation by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser which seeks views on the update of the Government Chief Scientific  Adviser’s Guidelines. The Guidelines were last revised in July 2000 and need to reflect the developments in policy making best  practice in the intervening years (such as improvements to risk management and public engagement).  The Guidelines also seek to  further highlight the need for analysts and policy makers to be explicit about the level of uncertainty surrounding the evidence they  intend to present to policy makers.

A consultation on proposed amendments to electricity regulations in order to:

1. Improve electricity network resilience to adverse weather conditions
2. Ensure that the public safety requirements apply to offshore as well as onshore generating installations
3. Reflect the latest amendment to BS7671 following the harmonisation of cable core colours across the EU
4. Ensure that tramways and trolley vehicle systems are afforded the same exemptions as for railways

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI's Energy Website.

The DTI is seeking the views of UK business, consumers and other organisation’s on whether Article 12 to 14 of the Electronic Commerce Directive (which limits the liability of intermediary service providers where they act as mere conduits, caches or hosts of information), and which were transposed into UK law by the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, should now be extended to providers of hyperlinks, location tool and content aggregation services.

Premium Rate Services are regulated by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS). The Department is seeking to increase the maximum fine for breaches of hte ICSTIS Code of Practice which relates to the promotion and running of these services. A great deal of consumer harm in 2004 led to an Office of Communications report which recommended that DTI increase the level of fine for code breaches. This consultation seeks views on the Department's intention to raise the fine from £100,000 to £250,000. The consultation also seeks views on how to make it easier for ICSTIS to regulate PRS by allowing Ofcom to pass information to ICSTIS about which telecoms companies have PRS numbers. These proposals require minor changes to the Communicaitons Act 2003.

The aim of the strategy is to develop a more strategic and co-ordinated approach across Government in order to identify cost effective measures to help new and existing microgeneration technologies make a significant contribution to energy policy goals.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme is an important tool for the delivery of the microgeneration strategy. It will take over from the existing Clear Skies Initiative and Major PV Demonstration Programme, both of which provide capital grants for small-scale renewable installations.

The consultation looks at the options for creating a Consumer and Trading Standards Agency (CTSA) as identified in the Hampton Report, including:

• the roles and responsibilities the CTSA should have;
• the powers it should exercise;
• the structure it should have.

Further information can be found on the DTI's Consumer and Competition Policy web pages.

This consultation seeks views on how the EU Regulation on Consumer Protection Co-operation should be implemented in the UK. This includes discussion of which bodies should be directly involved in the cross-border network; the enforcement powers these bodies will need; and how the consumer protection community can effectively co-operate to tackle cross border infringements of consumer laws.

Further information can be found on the DTI's  Consumer and Competition Policy web pages .

These draft regulations set out a complete regime for the average system of quantity control applied to packaged goods. The aim is to simplify the legislation and rationalise its scope as well as removing unnecessary burdens from packers and importers of packaged goods.

Feedback from an earlier consultation carried out between March and June 2004 on the principles behind the reform has been taken into account in developing these draft regulations.

The Government is seeking views on the impact, cost and benefits of possible changes to the law relating to companies’ security interests in particular whether to implement in England and Wales the recommendations made by the Law Commission and in Scotland the recommendations made by the Scottish Law Commission. The two Commissions’ proposals are different. This reflects the fact that the underlying law relating to rights in security and the law of property in the respective jurisdictions are different. Three options are described in the attached document.

The development of an offshore electricity transmission system will be necessary to meet the requirements of new offshore electricity generation stations which are important to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the Government’s renewable energy targets. This preliminary consultation seeks views on a range of high-level options for the regulation of offshore electricity transmission. These views will be taken into account in establishing the broad regulatory approach with a further consultation on the detailed workings of any regime in early 2006.

Responses to the consultation are available here.

On 8 March 2005, the Energy Minister announced that the Government intended to exercise the Energy Act power to adjust transmission charges for renewable generators on the Scottish islands of Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles, and to consult on whether the power should be exercised on the mainland of Northern Scotland. This consultation explains the policy background to the Energy Act power, and sets out the analysis that DTI has undertaken on the impact of transmission charges on renewable development in the North of Scotland. It invites views on this analysis and the Government’s proposals. The consultation will be of particular interest to developers of renewable generation, and those engaged in the transmission, distribution, supply and generation of electricity.

DTI wish to consult users of energy statistics on proposals to use Net Calorific Values (NCVs) as opposed to Gross Calorific Values (GCVs) when calculating the energy content of fuels. The difference between GCVs and NCVs depends on the fuel composition - a larger proportion of hydrogen (or water) in a fuel indicates a greater difference between GCV and NCV. Most international countries already use NCVs when producing energy statistics, and the International Energy Agency, the United Nations, and Eurostat have adopted the NCV approach when aggregating data from individual countries. Consultees views on the proposals are sought, particularly relating to any impact that the changes would have on the usefulness of the data for your specific needs.

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI Energy Website.

The Energy Act 2004 contains provisions to establish protected energy companies’. These are companies involving the transmission or distribution of electricity, various national and regional energy networks. They energy supplies are maintained to consumers. This consultation sets out the cost recovery mechanism for energy administration shortfalls. This will be introduced by modifications to the gas transporter licences and

electricity transmission and distribution licences. This consultation will be of particular interest to the holders of licences for electricity transmission, distribution and supply, as well as gas transporter, supplier and shipper licence holders.

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI Energy Website.

This proposal intends to permit approved verifiers to conduct the verification of equipment after carrying out adjustment of weighing or measuring equipment as part of maintenance work where such activity does not constitute the activity of manufacture, installation or repair but subsequently requires the weighing and measuring equipment to be verified before it can be returned into use for trade.

DTI wishes to consult users of energy statistics on proposals to change the way industrial energy price data is collected by the DTI. This will involve changing the main source of industry energy price data from the Quarterly Fuels Inquiry to the new Eurostat Price Transparency Survey. Prices paid by large gas, electricity, coal, heavy fuel oil and gas oil consumers will still be available from the Quarterly Fuels Inquiry, as these are used in a number of industry contracts.

Consultee’s views on the proposals are sought, particularly relating to any impact that the changes would have on the usefulness of the data for your specific needs.

Further information on this Consultation can be found on the DTI Energy Website

Consultation on whether to amend Part 9 of the Enterprise Act 2002 to allow information to be released more easily for civil court proceedings. Part 9 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA02) governs the release of consumer and competition information. Some enforcers such as the Trading Standards Service have highlighted an issue whereby they are unable to release information to individual consumers who wish to pursue a civil case against a trader for example, where the consumer has been the victim of a scam or injured due to an unsafe product. Intellectual property rights holders have voiced concerns that public authorities such as enforcers are unable to release information to rights holders so they can take action against counterfeiters in the civil courts. Although amending EA02 Part 9 would please some business interests, it would be a cause of concern, and costs, to other business interests. We are therefore consulting on the question of amending Part 9 to allow information to be released more easily for civil court proceedings and are seeking your views on the options set out in this document.

The MID was adopted in March 2004 and covers a number of different measuring instrument types including gas and electricity meters, petrol pumps and automatic weighing instruments, which are regulated in the UK and many, but not all, of the other Member States of the European Union. Its aim is to create a single market in measuring instruments for the benefit of manufacturers and, ultimately, consumers across Europe. The UK is required to implement the Directive. In November 2004 the Nationalw Weights & Measures issued a first consultation document proposing to implement the Directive on the basis of status quo, i.e. the UK will continue to regulate the same instruments that are currently regulated. Feedback indicated that this was the preferred option. In addition, most respondents agreed the UK should have a separate Statutory Instrument (SI) for each type of instrument to be regulated. We are therefore proceeding on the basis set out in the original consultation document, and have produced twelve draft SIs. We welcome comments and views on these Regulations from anyone interested in our proposals.The consultation document and each of the SIs are available to view or download by clicking on the links to the right. We have listed each document separately in order to give people the choice of which documents to download.

Further information on this Consultation is available on the NWML Website.

Consultation on proposed Cosmetic Products (Safety) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2005

This consultation document seeks views on the Government's proposals to introduce Regulations that amend Part 2 of Annexe III to the Directive by changing the dates that particular substances are permitted.  The Regulations will also amend annexes II, IV and VI of the main Regulations by inserting additional substances or by amending existing entries in these Annexes.

The  Government is seeking views on its proposals to ensure that the public sector can better meet the needs of men and women. 

On 4 October, it launched a consultation document on its proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality – commonly referred to as the ‘gender duty’.  These proposals will require public authorities to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity between men and women.  The detailed proposals, drawn up in consultation with government departments, wider public sector and external stakeholders, centre around 3 main components obliging public authorities to:

• identify and implement specific gender equality goals;
• develop and publish an equal pay policy statement; and
• assess the impact of new policies and changes to services on men and women – allowing negative effects to be mitigated.

This consultation document seeks views on how it is proposed to implement, in the UK, the amendment to Directive 2000/14/EC. This Directive relates to noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors.

This consultation seeks the views of businesses, manufacturers, retailers, producers and enforcement authorities on draft regulations implementing the amending Directive (2005/31/EC) on the ceramic articles that are intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. This consultation does not seek views on the directive itself but on our proposed implementation of it. The aim of the Directive 2005/31/EC is to make it easier for producers, distributors and enforcement authorities to check that ceramic articles intended to come into contact with food comply with existing migration limits for cadmium and lead.

Executive Summary The Department has been requested by the Office of Communication to increase the maximum penalty, from £5,000 to £50,000, for persistent misuse of the telecommunications network to tackle the growing problem of silent calls more effectively. Ofcom and the DTI believe that a significant increase in fine is needed to stop companies making silent calls to consumers.

The Government is publishing, in draft, its proposals to amend the Maternity and Adoption Leave Regulations and the Flexible Working Regulations, following commitments made in the Government’s Response to the Work and Families Consultation in October 2005. The Government’s intention is that maternity and adoption regulations will apply to the parents of children expected to be born, or placed for adoption, on or after 1 April 2007; and the flexible working regulations will apply from April 2007. The purpose of publishing the regulations in this way is to invite comments on their drafting, and seek views on some remaining areas of detail, before final regulations are prepared and provided to Parliament later in 2006.

Company Law: Flexibility and Accessibility Consultation seeking views on proposals for powers to enable a special form of secondary legislation to be used, in defined ways, to reform and restate company law. 

Third stage public consultation on the UK's National Allocation Plan for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Further information can be found on the DEFRA Website.

A consultation document inviting interested parties to provide the information on the possible economic benefits and costs of the Law Commissions' proposals to reform partnership law. 

This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce Regulations to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetic products and to prohibit, with specified timescales, the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients. The Regulations will also provide for enhanced labelling requirements.

This consultation seeks views on proposals to introduce Regulations to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetic products and to prohibit, with specified timescales, the use of animals in the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients. The Regulations will also provide for enhanced labelling requirements.

This consultation document seeks views on proposed amendments to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) rules.

The proposed amendments are designed to serve two purposes: first, to ensure consistency with proposed new Employment Tribunal Regulations and Rules, on which public consultation has recently been concluded; and, secondly, to effect some relatively minor but worthwhile improvements in procedure, including as regards the disposal of meritless appeals at the outset

This consultation invites views on European Commission proposals to amend the guidelines governing regional aid (which define assisted areas and aid intensities allowed within them) after 2006. Against the background of EU enlargement and European Council decisions to move towards less and better targeted state aid, the proposals would result in reductions in eligibility for such aid in the UK and the other longer standing Member States, though additional levels of aid would be permitted for SMEs outside the assisted areas. This consultation seeks the views of all interested parties to help inform the Government's response to the Commission proposals.

Responses Documents

Are available on the DTI's Consumer and Competition Policy Website .

This consultation seeks views on changes to three areas of the Distance Selling Regulations, to make them clearer and more workable for business and consumers. The changes will affect firms supplying goods and services to consumers and other stakeholders including enforcement authorities, advice agencies and consumers. One of the key provisions of the Regulations is a right to cancel the contract. We propose changes to how consumers are informed about this and how they may exercise their right.

Further information on Distance Selling