The department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) is consulting on strategies to tackle late payments for goods or services to smaller companies by larger firms

The European Commission is planning to tighten up the rules on supervision of EU financial institutions to combat money-laundering amid criticism some EU member states are failing to enforce the rules effectively 

The Law Commission’s consultation on electronic signatures has produced some early conclusions but questions still remain, says Robert Coffey, managing partner at Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP

Ireland – which is one of only two OECD countries without a mandatory earnings-related element to retirement savings – is consulting on the possible launch of an auto enrolment-style pensions regime, to be in place by the end of 2020

HMRC’s consultation on extending the IR35 rules covering off-payroll working to the private sector closed last week, and contractor organisations are indicating there has been a groundswell of protest against the proposals, which have attracted controversy since their introduction in the public sector

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on plans to create a global financial innovation network (GFIN), in collaboration with 11 financial regulators and related organisations, which will build on its proposal earlier this year to create a ‘global sandbox’ for new concepts and finance models

The Bank of England, Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are consulting on a joint approach to improve the operational resilience of firms and financial market infrastructures (FMIs)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on plans to publish a new directory to help consumers and firms check the status and history of individuals working in financial services, with the aim of widening the information publicly available and putting it all in one, user-friendly place

CIPFA is consulting on plans to launch an index to provide a meaningful measure of local authority financial resilience to reassure to councils who are financially stable and prompt challenge where it may be needed

Pension freedoms have left some consumers confused and in danger of making bad decisions, says the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who has published a consultation into proposed measures to protect pension holders

The government has launched a consultation into how defined benefit pension schemes can be improved and better protected

The Treasury is to consult on tougher regulation for the pre-paid funeral plan sector, including proposals to bring the market into the supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), in a bid to protect grieving and vulnerable people from aggressive sales tactics and poor financial advice

MPs are urging the Financial Conduct Authority to step up its oversight of the transfer of funds from defined benefit pension schemes to self invested personal pension (SIPPs) to stop abuse of the system following pension freedoms

The government is launching a package of measures designed to level the playing field for smaller businesses bidding to win government contracts, including proposals to exclude suppliers from major government procurements if they cannot demonstrate fair and effective payment practices with their subcontractors

The government has published four consultations setting out its proposals in response to the Matthew Taylor review of modern work practices, which will form part of its newly announced ‘good work’ plan