MPs and pressure groups, including the PCG, have condemned the Chancellor for his refusal to consult with UK firms before introducing IR591.

A contractor targeted for both IR35 and Section 660 is celebrating a double win over the Revenue, thanks to his advisors Bauer & Cottrell.

BT's recent price cuts in many of its wholesale broadband Internet services reflect cost savings achieved by BT and are not anti-competitive, Oftel confirmed last week.

The 2004 Budget has not lived up to the impact many observers thought it might. IR35 remains with us, IR591 is not nearly as bad as we feared, and most others taxes have been frozen.

Broadband prices for consumers in the UK are as cheap as in France, Germany or the USA, according to new research published yesterday by Oftel, the government's telecoms 'watchdog'. The recent surge in broadband offerings to UK consumers follows BT's reduction in wholesale line access for ISP's.

We received an email from one of our visitors which suggests that the recently announced 'fast track' visa policy is already paying dividends for this Government.

A headline-grabbing report, published this week by Personnel Today magazine, shows that surfing porn at work tops the league of web-related 'offences' recorded by 544 HR Managers and officers surveyed. 40% of HR personnel have received complaints about employees wasting time on the net.

It's certainly been an eventful year in the IT Market. IR35 has become more and more of a going concern for many contractors, combined with the downsizing in the IT contracting market. But is there really anything to be too concerned about? I personally think the market is changing for the better. Let's look at the issues of IR35 and reducing demands for contractors and the effects it could have.

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt has outlined details of a Government plan to find the next generation of "IT" girls - but the focus will be firmly on micro-chips not micro-skirts.