Editor: Pat Williams. E-mail pwilliams@creditman.co.uk
John Arnold. E-mail jarnold@creditman.co.uk
Site: Business Credit Management UK
URL: http://www.creditman.co.uk
Issue: 93
Dated: 17 January 1999
Welcome to the Business Credit News UK.
In this weeks edition you will find the following topics.
UKBYERS WELCOMES PROPOSALS FOR NEW POSTAL CHARGES
Second class stamp price to be cut by 1p; first class prices frozen
Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, last week welcomed the Post Office's proposals for a new set of postal charges.
The proposals are being sent to the Post Office Users' National Council (POUNC) for comment.
The Post Office is statutorily required under Section 15 of the Post Office Act 1969 to submit Royal Mail tariff proposals to, and seek comments from, POUNC. After consulting on the proposals, POUNC submits its comments to both the Post Office and the Secretary of State. After consideration of these, the Secretary of State submits the Government's comments on the proposals. The final version of the new tariff rates will then come into effect on 26 April 1999, after Royal Mail has made the necessary operational preparations.
The key elements of the proposals are for no changes to 1st class letter rates below 100 grammes; for 2nd class there would be a 1p reduction (from 20p to 19p) in the first weight step rate (up to 60 g) and no change in the 60-100g weight step. For the individual weight steps above 100g, increases from 5% to 14% are proposed, averaging 9.9% for 1st class and 10.9% for 2nd class. The proposed increases in Priority Services (formerly Registered and Special Delivery) average 5.9%. Prices for all other ancillary services (e.g.redirection, recorded delivery, business collection services etc.) remain unchanged.
These proposed changes to the inland letter tariff rates, to take effect from 26 April 1999. The previous changes, introduced in July 1996, increased by 1p both 1st and 2nd class basic rates, with graduated increases for higher weight steps.
The last time the price of either a first or second class stamp was cut was September 1984, when the price of a second class stamp was reduced from 13p to 12p.
CBI REACTION TO UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES
The Confederation of British Industry announced last week it welcomed the fall in unemployment but warned that the reductions seem unlikely to continue.
CBI Associate Director of Economic Analysis, Sudhir Junankar, said: "The slight falls in underlying unemployment are welcome but seem unlikely to continue given other evidence of an increasing slowdown in the economy. Today’s figures are consistent with our view that the economy is set to slow, with the downturn in manufacturing jobs quickening.
"Recent surveys suggest that manufacturing is moving into recession while service sector growth is declining. We expect employment trends to weaken over the next four months, thereby reducing upward pressure on pay growth."
The balance of risks remain tipped towards the downside and further interest rate cuts are still needed to stave off the danger of an outright recession."
FINANCIAL SERVICES EXPECT SHARP SLOWDOWN IN EARLY 1999 - CBI/PWC
Firms in the financial services sector expect a sharp slowdown in business and significant job losses in the first quarter of 1999, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry and PricewaterhouseCoopers out last week.
The survey shows that business confidence continued to fall in the financial services sector, but firms were less gloomy in December 1998 than they were in September. Forty-five per cent of firms were less optimistic than three months ago, and 18 per cent more optimistic, giving a balance of minus 27 per cent. This is an improvement on the eight-year low of minus 54 per cent recorded in September.
But firms expect a marked slowdown in the rate of business growth over the first quarter of 1999. Firms' expectations are the weakest since September 1992, with only insurance brokers and fund managers expecting to see significant growth over the coming months. This follows the slowest growth reported for a year for the three months to December, although it was faster than firms had expected. Securities traders and insurance brokers saw the largest increase in business volumes, with only fund managers reporting a fall.
Business with industrial, commercial and overseas customers fell over the past three months. And although business with private customers grew robustly, it was at the slowest rate for a year. Sudhir Junankar, CBI's Associate Director of Economic Analysis, said: "Falling confidence is hitting financial services, despite growth holding up better than companies had expected.
"Looking ahead the picture remains gloomy, as financial service firms do not expect to escape the economic slowdown. Over the first quarter of 1999 growth is likely to be much slower and significant job cuts are expected."
The growth in profits fell to the slowest rate since March 1996. However, firms expect profits to pick-up over the next three months.
Angus Hislop, PricewaterhouseCoopers Senior Banking Partner, said: "One positive aspect in this survey is that financial service firms still show confidence in the future by keeping up their investment in IT, marketing and training. This reflects a highly competitive environment and the need to increase efficiency, which has become the most important reason for capital spending."
Jobs were created at a faster rate in the financial services sector than had been expected. Most of the new jobs were among insurance brokers, life insurers and venture capitalists. General insurers bucked the trend and saw large job cuts over the past three months. But significant job cuts are expected across the financial services over the first quarter of 1999.
A high level of competition is the most likely constraint on business over 1999. And a poor return on investment is the most likely constraint on firms' investment plans for the year ahead.
STEPHEN BYERS WELCOMES POST OFFICE'S ACQUISITION OF GERMAN PARCEL
The Post Office has taken a major step towards becoming a global communications organisation through its acquisition of German Parcel, Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry said last week.
"This is the first action taken by the Post Office since being given greater commercial freedom by the Government, to allow it to become a modern world-class company so as to meet the increasingly global needs of its customers", Mr Byers added.
Welcoming the announcement, Mr Byers said:
"This major international acquisition shows the commitment of the Government and the Post Office to move quickly to implement the radical package of reforms announced last December.
"The purchase of German Parcel demonstrates that the Post Office is determined to realise its ambition to become a global player in the distribution sector. Our reforms have given it the freedom needed to achieve this."
Ian McCartney, DTI Minister with responsibility for the Post Office added:
"This is an important and exciting new venture for the Post Office. It demonstrates that with its new freedoms the Post Office can now respond much more effectively to the opportunities of a changing international market.
"The Post Office will be able to provide the enhanced services that are needed in order to compete in an increasingly demanding international market."
German Parcel is the third largest private carrier in Germany with annual sales of #250m. It also holds 23 per cent of shares in General Parcel, an international company offering services in 30 European countries. The purchase price is, as yet, undisclosed, amidst rumour that an inflated price may have been paid to secure the sale.
INDEX OF PRODUCTION NOVEMBER 1998
In November, the seasonally adjusted index for the output of the production industries was 102.3 at 1995 prices.
Production industries' output in the D4 three months to November fell by 0.9 per cent compared to the previous three months. In the same period, mining and quarrying output (including oil and DO gas extraction) fell by 0.6 per cent,manufacturing output fell by 1.1 per cent and the output of the electricity, gas and water supply industries increased by 0.2 per cent compared to the previous three months.
Mining and quarrying (including oil and gas)
In the three months to November, oil and gas extraction fell by 0.7 per cent compared to the previous three months but was 4.9 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Between October and November the seasonally adjusted index for oil and gas extraction fell by 0.2 per cent due to lower gas production. Coal production was 3.6 per cent higher in the latest three months compared to the previous three months butwas 10.1 per cent lower than in the same period a year ago.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing output in the three months to November fell by 1.1 per cent compared to the previous three months. Between October and November manufacturing output fell by 0.2 per cent with decreases in most of the industrial sectors.
In the three months to November most of the manufacturing industries have shown decreases in production compared to the previous three months. There were significant falls of 4.6 per cent in the textiles, leather and clothing industries, 3.2 per cent in the output of the basic metal and metal products industries and 2.0 per cent in the machinery and equipment industries. However, there was an increase of 1.3 per cent in the output of the electrical and optical equipment industries.
Electricity, gas and water supply
Output of the electricity, gas and water supply industries in the latest three months was 0.2 per cent higher than in the previous three months. Between October and November output rose by 0.2 per cent.The average temperatures in November were lower than normal leading to higher demand for gas. In the three months to November output in this sector was 3.9 per cent higher than in the same period a year ago.
Market sectors
In the latest three months, output of the durable goods industries fell by 2.5 per cent compared to the previous three months. There were falls of 3.2 per cent in the output of cars and 1.8 per cent in the output of other durables. Output of durable goods in the latest three months was flat compared to the same period a year ago.
Output in the non-durable goods industries fell by 1.3 per cent in the three months to November compared to the previous three months. There were falls of 5.3 per cent in the output of the clothing and footwear industries, 1.0 per cent in the food, drink and tobacco industries and 0.7 per cent in the other non-durables industries. Output of non-durable goods in the latest three months was 1.3 per cent lower than in the same period a year ago.
Output of the investment goods industries increased by 0.9 per cent in the three months to November compared to the previous three months. There were rises of 6.3 per cent in the output of the electrical goods industries and 0.4 per cent in the output of the transport goods industries but output of the other investment goods industries fell by 1.4 per cent. In the latest three months, output of investment goods increased by 4.7 per cent compared to the same period a year ago.
Intermediate goods industries output decreased by 1.3 per cent in the latest three months compared to the previous three months. There were falls of 1.8 per cent in the output of materials and 0.3 per cent in the output of fuels. Output of intermediate goods in the three months to November increased by 0.2 per cent compared to the same period a year ago.
MACHINE TOOLS NOVEMBER 1998
In the three months to November 1998 total turnover of machine tools ( 1995 constant prices, seasonally adjusted) decreased by 9.4 per cent compared with the previous three months.
This was due to a 10.9 per cent fall in home turnover and a 7.6 per cent fall in export turnover. Compared to the same period a year ago, total turnover decreased by 7.9 per cent.
Total orders on hand for machine tools at the end of November 1998 were 15.6 per cent less than the level at the end of August 1998 and were 28.4 per cent down on November 1997.
In the three months to November 1998, total turnover of the machine tools industry averaged £198.3m at current prices, a decrease of 10.1 per cent compared to the same period a year ago. Home turnover averaged £110.5m in the three months to November 1998, a decrease of 22.6 per cent on the same period last year. In the three months to November 1998 export turnover averaged £87.8m, an increase of 12.7 per cent on the same period a year ago.
At the end of November 1998 total orders on hand for machine tools were estimated to have been #451.8m, a decrease of 29.4 per cent on the level at the end of November 1997.
# pounds sterling
OFTEL last week issued draft guidelines on how it intends to enforce new laws on fair competition.
The guidelines have been designed together with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) as both the Director General of Telecommunications and the Director General of the Office of Fair Trading have powers under the Act. These guidelines assist both the telecommunications industry and its consumers to assess for themselves the circumstances in which particular types of behaviour are likely to be prohibited.
The Competition Act, most of which comes into force in March 2000, gives a range of new enforcement powers to the Director General of Telecommunications, David Edmonds. These powers include:
Speaking today David Edmonds said: "These new powers will give OFTEL more teeth. Carrying out investigations will be much easier, and the penalties should force telecom companies to be much more careful in the future.
"The guidelines are intended to help those people in the telecommunications sector who may have been affected by anti-competitive behaviour and I would encourage those involved to read and respond to these guidelines so they become as useful and practical as possible. They should be read in conjunction with the other guidelines published under the Act, particularly further economic guidelines also published by the OFT and regulators today."
The Competition Act is based on Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty of Rome and introduces into United Kingdom competition law prohibitions of anti-competitive agreements, decision or practices, and of the abuse of a dominant position in a market, with the possibility of imposing penalties in the form of civil fines for breach of the prohibitions. The prohibitions are due to come into force in March 2000.
The Competition Act is enforced concurrently by the Director General of Fair Trading and the sector regulators.
The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has presented a petition in the High Court to wind up, in the public interest, Creative Independent Productions (London) Limited. This followed an investigation under Section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended).
On the application of the Secretary of State, the Court appointed the Official Receiver as provisional liquidator of Creative Independent Productions (London) Limited., pending hearing of the petition on 20 January 1999.
Creative Independent Productions (London) Limited has recently embarked on a scheme to raise finance from the public for the production of a science fiction film, to be named "The Return".
The registered office of the company is Elstree Film Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1JG. Its present trading address is 92A London Road, Shenley, Hertfordshire WD7 9DX.
The petition was presented under S 124A of the Insolvency Act 1986.
All public enquiries concerning the company should be made to:
The Official Receiver
21 Bloomsbury Street
London WC1B 3SS
Telephone: 0171 637 6553
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From 18/01/99 to 26/01/99 Number of Creditor meetings : 161 Section Company Time Venue 23 Administrator Calling a meeting of Creditors 20/01/99 Bletchley Engineering Co Ltd 10.30 am Reading 22/01/99 Alder Valley Engineering Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham Cirrus Travel Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham Eurobus UK Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham Hampshire Transport Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham Q Drive Coaches Ltd 10.00 am London Q Drive Holdings Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham Q Drive Management Ltd 02.30 pm Wokingham 25/01/99 STT Projects Ltd 10.00 am London 26/01/99 Nordictrack (UK) Ltd 11.30 am London 48 Receiver calling unsecured Creditors Meeting 19/01/99 BPL (Sutton) Ltd 10.30 am Cheam 21/01/99 Hesflo (Ducting) Ltd 10.30 am Bristol Honeybourne Hide & Skin Co Ltd 10.30 am Birmingham Limbourne Ltd 12.00 pm Birmingham Rock Farm Poultry Ltd 10.30 am West Sussex 22/01/99 Henry Miller & Co (Timber) Ltd 10.30 am Manchester William Williams (Timber) Ltd 11.30 am Manchester 25/01/99 Softvision Group Plc 11.00 am Bromley Widnes Distribution Ltd 11.00 am Manchester 26/01/99 European American Industries 11.00 am London 67 Scotland - Receiver calling Meeting of unsecured Creditors 19/01/99 Rock Developments Ltd 12.00 pm Glasgow 20/01/99 Andrew Fleming Ltd 10.00 am Glasgow 25/01/99 Knoydart Peninsula Ltd 10.00 am Glasgow 95 Members converting to Creditors Voluntary Liquidation 18/01/99 E C K Ltd 11.00 am Warrington 98 Creditors Voluntary Liquidations 18/01/99 C B C Cleaning Services Ltd 02.30 pm London Centralteam Ltd 11.30 am Altrincham Charm Technology Ltd 04.00 pm London Designlines Marketing Ltd 10.30 am London EWS Ltd 10.30 am Liverpool European Super Store Ltd 12.00 pm Manchester Futurevale Ltd 03.30 pm Nuneaton L & A Middleton Ltd 11.30 am Manchester London Sand Blast Co Ltd - The 02.30 pm London Malvern Computers Ltd 12.00 pm Reading Malvern Optical Ltd 12.00 pm Reading Metro Travel & Tours Ltd 11.30 am London Montpelier Hospital Ltd - The 11.00 am London Peacock Cross Carpets Ltd 12.00 pm Glasgow Pentangle Systems Ltd 12.00 pm Reading Pinacall Communications Ltd 03.30 pm London Pooladdy Ltd 03.00 pm London Slitmaster Ltd 11.00 am Manchester Stainless Bar Processors Ltd 10.30 am Sheffield Well Informed Woman Ltd 10.15 am London Winterbourne Construction Ltd 12.30 pm London 19/01/99 Arena Building Co Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Avalon Design Associates Ltd 03.15 pm London B J Watts Transport Ltd 03.00 pm Royston Bayrex Ltd 10.00 am London Capital Printing Equipment Ltd 12.00 pm Leeds Colorwave Photographic Ltd 10.30 am Edgware Concrete Cable Protection Ltd 11.00 am Mackworth Euribon Ltd 02.30 pm Braunstone Eurotex Ltd 11.30 am London Live Venue Ltd 01.30 pm London Longhill Distribution Services Ltd 12.30 pm Darlington M & B Marquees Ltd 02.00 pm Royston M & P Design (Midlands) Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Monarch Restaurants Ltd 11.00 am London N E Lincs Engineering Ltd 12.00 pm Grimsby Paratus Ltd 11.45 am London Reilor Plastics Ltd 11.00 am Bolton Robert Service Saloons Ltd 12.00 pm London SDS (UK) Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Salford Creche Co-Operative Ltd 12.00 pm Hale Scale Post Ltd 02.30 pm Darlington Shaw Distribution Services Ltd 10.30 am Darlington Shaw of County Durham Ltd 01.15 pm Darlington Siren Manufacturing Ltd 10.30 am Newcastle-u-Tyne Victorian Exports Ltd 10.00 am London 20/01/99 Advanced Insulation Products Ltd 11.15 am Sheffield Asbesteel Ltd 02.30 pm Stoke-on-Trent Belcron Construction Ltd 11.30 am Edgware Brodie Brittain Racing Ltd 11.45 am London Connolly (Flowers) Ltd 11.30 am Newcastle-u-Tyne Designway Ltd 11.00 am London Digi-Grade Systems Ltd 11.00 am London Eraco Ltd 12.00 pm Hale Hi-Tex Printing Co Ltd 11.30 am Sheffield Inter Financials Ltd 11.00 am London J S F Derby Ltd 02.00 pm Sheffield JDM Print Ltd 11.30 am Stanmore KEF Professional Consultancy Ltd 10.30 am Rotherham Leonardo Tie Company Ltd 03.00 pm London Logfield Ltd 11.00 am London Morley Casuals Ltd 03.30 pm Sileby North End Motors Ltd 12.00 pm London Parbest Ltd 04.00 pm London Pearlmarsh Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Phillip Chandler & Co Ltd 11.00 am London R Dengate Ltd 02.30 pm Sevenoaks Rokes Ltd 11.00 am Bristol Sea Cuisine Ltd 03.30 pm Grimsby Sheriffmill Hotels Ltd 12.00 pm Inverness TMC Shopmaster Ltd 02.00 pm Manchester United Taxi Services Ltd 11.00 am London Walker Avanti Ltd 12.00 pm Glasgow 21/01/99 925 Clothing Co Ltd - The 10.30 am Salisbury Adams Leisure Investments Ltd 11.00 am Bristol Body Centre (Scotland) Ltd 11.00 am Glasgow Bridgend Demolition Ltd 12.00 pm Cardiff Cassy Ltd 04.00 pm London Continental Connection Ltd 10.30 am Leeds Datapro Systems Ltd 11.00 am London Euro Cash & Carry Ltd 11.30 am Manchester Fabrex Packers Ltd 10.30 am Leeds G Y Design & Marketing Ltd 12.00 pm Kingston-u-Thames Hankinson of Yorkshire Ltd 10.15 am Bately Kennedy Brandt Ltd 11.00 am London Parkfield Marketing Ltd 10.30 am Stoke-on-Trent Parkland Foods Ltd 11.00 am Hereford Porschons Classic Ltd 10.30 am Harrow Premier Workforce Ltd 03.00 pm Salisbury Quest Storage & Interiors Ltd 02.30 pm Southampton Silverstone Race Services Ltd 03.30 pm Sileby Skibb Taverns Ltd 01.30 pm Enfield T W Interiors Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Tyburn Enterprises Ltd 11.30 am Grimsby Virina Knitwear Ltd 11.00 am Sileby 22/01/99 Bromac Construction Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Deighton & Ingham (Trailers) Ltd 11.30 am Warrington Hevon Enterprises Ltd 11.15 am London In Character Ltd 10.30 am London Johnson Levell Ltd 11.00 am London Languatec Printers Ltd 11.00 am London London Antiquarian Book Arcade Ltd 11.15 am Pinner London Car Wash Ltd 10.30 am London M C Productions Ltd 10.00 am London MVA Services Ltd 12.00 pm London Martynlake Ltd 11.00 am London Paragon Management Corporation Ltd 12.00 pm London Prestex Ltd 04.00 pm London Pryce Cameras Ltd 11.15 am Manchester Reality Windows (UPVC) Ltd 03.00 pm Swansea Sapphire Management Ltd 01.00 pm London Scenespin Ltd 10.30 am Halifax Structures Ltd 11.30 am Liverpool Total Trucking Ltd 03.30 pm Slough Weightec Load Monitoring Systems Ltd 02.30 pm Southampton 25/01/99 Hannings Furniture Co Ltd 11.00 am Glastonbury Hemdean Investments Ltd 11.30 am Gerrards Cross J & R Darracott Ltd 11.15 am Maidstone SHL (1992) Ltd 02.30 pm South Ruislip 26/01/99 Avanti Timber Supplies Ltd 11.00 am Birmingham Barnabas of London Ltd 11.00 am London Brand Traders (INternational) Ltd 11.00 am London County Radiators Ltd 10.30 am Colchester D S A International Ltd 11.30 am London Easi-Care Processes Ltd 02.30 pm Warrington Economic Woollen Co Ltd 11.00 am Leeds Ehdl Software Engineering (UK) Ltd 12.00 pm London European Binders (Printers) Ltd 11.30 am Manchester Facilities Management Recruitment Ltd 11.00 am South Ruislip Golden Valley Shoes Ltd 10.30 am Manchester Lariport Ltd 12.00 pm London Mark Seven Leisurewear Ltd 03.30 pm Lutterworth Mixed Doubles Ltd 03.30 pm Lutterworth Parashooting Ltd 03.00 pm London Scourfields Ltd 10.15 am Worthing Techniclean Services Ltd 10.30 am Birmingham Universal Fashion Ltd 03.30 pm London
TW LW TW LW
USA 1.6643 1.6651 Canada 2.5597 2.5082
Austria 19.6279 19.4576 Portugal 285.966 283.966
France 9.3567 9.2976 Belgium 57.5410 57.1360
Finland 8.4810 8.4270 Italy 2761.91 2743.94
Germany 2.7895 2.7712 Sweden 13.0648 13.2687
Holland 3.1434 3.1233 Switzerland 2.2835 2.2875
Spain 237.340 235.660 Ireland 1.1234 1.1140
Australia 2.6430 2.6702 Denmark 10.6206 10.5534
Hong Kong 12.8945 12.9010 ECU 1.4275 1.4276
Africa Com 10.5000 9.5440 Saudi Arabia 6.2445 6.2451
India 70.7030 70.6830 Malaysia 6.3238 6.3270
Singapore 2.7954 2.7929 Norway 12.4559 13.3858
Japan 188.460 186.740
TW This week LW Last week.
The world is merging but not, until now, Tobacco. In a gigantic deal, British American Tobacco, the world's second-largest international cigarette maker, agreed to take over Rothmans (the fourth-largest) for $8.7 billion, putting BAT's 16% share of the world market just behind Philip Morris's 17%. (China's state industry is far bigger, but domestic.) The deal was a blow for RJR Nabisco, which lost two potential buyers of its overseas tobacco operations.
Source: The Economist
MARKS AND SPENCER
Shares in Marks and Spencer, Britain's biggest retailer, slumped by more than 10% after the firm issued a profits warning. It said profits this year would be 625 million pounds -675million ($1 billion-1.1 billion), down from 1.2 billion pounds in 1998.
Source: The Economist
ENTERPRISE OIL/LASMO
Two big British independent oil and gas explorers, Enterprise oil and Lasmo, are discussing a merger. But investors, who saw Enterprise fail in a hostile attempt to take over Lasmo in 1994, took a dim view of the move.
Source: The Economist
VICKERS/GIAT
Vickers of Britain and state-owned GIAT of France signed a letter of intent to form a joint-venture company that, initially at least, will handle sales, marketing, R&D and procurement, but not the manufacture of battle tanks.
Source: The Economist
PROPOSED ACQUISITION BY ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE OF LONDON ELECTRICITY PLC
The UK Government has made requests to the European Commission in connection with the acquisition of London Electricity PLC by Electricite de France which is currently being considered under the EC Merger Regulation. These requests relate to concerns which the UK has identified in relation to the merger.
A request has been made under Article 21(3) of the EC Merger Regulation for recognition of certain public interests relating to regulation of the electricity sector. A request has also been made under Article 9 of the EC Merger Regulation, in accordance with the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading, that the Commission refer the acquisition to the UK authorities. If the Commission agrees to refer the merger to the UK authorities, it will be considered under the merger provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.
Two fourth-quarter technology results beat market hopes: Intel, the world's biggest chip maker, increased profits by 18% to a net $2.06 billion on revenues up 17% to $7.61 billion; and Yahoo!, a popular online-guide, trebled revenue to $76.4m and saw profits soar from a loss of $1.9m a year ago to $18.5m.
Source: The Economist
ROAD TAX VIA THE INTERNET: PILOT WINS AWARD
Motorists may, in the future, be able to buy their vehicle tax discs electronically via the Internet and phone thanks to a DETR pilot scheme which got the green light last week.
Transport Minister Lord Whitty welcomed the award of #279,000 from the Treasury's Invest to Save Budget which will enable DETR's Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency to test the use of electronic media to provide a more convenient service to motorists.
A further #92,000 has been awarded to a second scheme which will develop an Information System link with Magistrate Courts. The system would enable the Vehicle Inspectorate to electronically lodge information on driver and vehicle related prosecutions with courts.
Lord Whitty said:
"I am delighted that these two schemes - totalling #371,000 - have won approval from the Treasury's Invest to Save Budget.
"We're investing in the potential benefits of new technology to help the motorist. The idea of buying your Vehicle Licence disc over the phone or via the Internet will be welcomed by many motorists. This scheme demonstrates clearly the Government's commitment to improved delivery of customer service."
The DVLA will be running two pilots as part of the vehicle tax disc scheme. One will be a telephone re-licensing service using on-line checking via a call centre. The second pilot would involve re-licensing through the Internet in partnership with a financial organisation.
If the pilots are successful, some motorists could benefit from this service later this year.
# pounds sterling
28th January Sussex & Surrey Branch of the ICM 7.30pm Branch AGM followed by Social Event Venue TBA 2 February North East Branch meeting of the ICM EMU 7.00 for 7.30pm Presentation by Stephen Clarke of the Bank of England, Yorkshire and Humberside The Golden Lion Hotel, Lower Briggate, Leeds + Buffet 4 February West of Scotland Branch of the ICM 6.15 for 6.30pm The Private Investigator in Credit Management Presented by Brian Burke of Andrews Bishop & Cusack Ernst & Young, George House, 50 George Square, Glasgow G2 10 February South West Branch of the ICM Lunchtime ‘get together' Noon to 2.00pm Duke of Cornwall Hotel, Millbay Road, Plymouth + Buffet West Midlands Branch meeting of the ICM High Potential but High Risk - 6.30 for 700pm Getting the Most from the Small Business Sector Presentation by Experian Business Information The Club Suite, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Harborne Road, Edgbaston + Buffet Details and tickets for all events: Darren Davoile - tel: 01203 293062 16 February Wessex Branch meeting of the ICM 6.00 for 6.45pm Lifeboat 2000 Presentation by the RNLI The Botleigh Grange Hotel, Hedge End, Southampton + Buffet March 9th to the 11th March 1999 Credit 1999 The Novotel, Hammersmith, London W6 Free Conferences and Workshops Free Exhibition Top Industry Speakers 17 - 19 November 1999 Wednesday to Friday International Credit Exhibition & Conference Raffles City Convention Centre The Westin Stamford, Singapore http://www.internationalcredit99.com Mailto:info@internationalcredit99.com # = pounds sterling
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