Consultations

DCMS: Plans to fly the Union flag on Government buildings every day of the year have been published by Culture Secretary, James Purnell, as part of wider Government constitutional reforms. At present Union flags are flown on only a few days a year and the consultation paper proposes giving Government departments the freedom to fly the flag every day. 
 
The deadline for responses to the consultation is Friday 9 November 2007 and a summary of responses will be published within three months of the closing date.
Press release ~ Flying the Flag Consultation ~ DCMS
 
Defra: Defra has published details of a plan to release householders from a liability most don't even realise they have. It's estimated that as many as 50% of properties connect to private sewers and that most other properties connect to a public sewer via a lateral drain.  Currently these are the responsibility of the owners of the properties they serve, often without their knowledge and when they need repair the costs can be significant.
 
In response to the concerns of householders, Defra announced in February that private sewers and lateral drains draining to the public sewer system should be transferred into the ownership of the nine statutory water & sewerage companies in England.  Defra committed to a public consultation (closes on 19 October 2007) on how this transfer should happen, and on measures to prevent the proliferation of new private sewers and the recurrence of existing problems.
Press release ~ Consultation documents ~ Defra - Private sewers ~ Consumer Council for Water ~ Ofwat: Responsibility for water and sewerage pipes
 
CLG: Proposed changes to the law, set out in a consultation paper (closes on 4 October 2007), will require landlords to provide their tenants with an annual statement showing how service charges are spent. The measures will be backed by new rights for tenants to withhold service changes where a landlord fails to comply – See ‘Legislation /Legal’ section below for more information.
 
HM Treasury: The government has launched a consultation document (closes on 19 October 2007) on changes to capital allowances - part of the package of reforms to business tax announced in Budget 2007, which outlines the package of reforms and seeks feedback from business on three new elements of the capital allowances regime – See ‘Business and Other Briefings’ below.
 
 
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