The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently published revised figures showing that net migration figures for the year ending 2022 were in fact much higher than initially expected. You may remember our previous article published in June 2023 regarding increases to net migration figures released by the ONS; Net migration figures continue to increase, according to ONS ...
'He’s making a list, he’s checking it twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice’...but is Santa doing so in compliance with the GDPR? As the first Christmas trees and advent calendars go up in stores and homes across the UK, our thoughts may turn towards the joys – and pressures – of the festive season ...
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered the Autumn Statement on 22 November 2023. In total, it contained 110 proposed measures for delivering UK growth. From a pensions perspective, the focus was on consolidation of the UK pensions industry through: Taking forward the Mansion House reforms, starting with steps to increase consolidation within the UK pensions industry ...
Christmas parties are designed to be fun, but a few festive drinks can quickly get out of hand if not managed correctly. A sobering thought is that employers can be vicariously liable for the action of employees during work events such as Christmas parties. In order to minimise the risks, we explore the steps employers can take before and after any work social event ...
Given the current economic climate, many employers are reformulating their businesses or are aiming to cut costs, which may give rise to more cases of proposed redundancies. We discuss how affected employees can best navigate these uncertain times. A redundancy situation is rarely welcomed by both employers and employees; they can represent financial hardship, both for employers struggling with profitability, and the inevitable direct impact on individual employees and their families ...
The UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO) has recently published a blog containing a quick guide to help retailers assess the lawfulness of sharing criminal offence data ...
On 21 November, Waters Technology published an opinion piece on the use by cloud providers of hardware which, under previous policies, would have been retired. They are doing this due to exponential growth in the demand for their services – not profits. On the same day, it published an article highlighting the work the DTCC has been undertaking with AWS to produce technical standards “to enhance multi-region resiliency”, which were published on 20 November ...
Discussions in Brussels over the finalisation of the EU’s AI Act appear to have faltered, as the parties involved in its current ‘trilogue’ phase (involving agreement between the Commission, Council and Parliament on a final form text for the legislation) have struggled to reach a consensus on how to approach the regulation of foundation models ...
Collaboration took centre stage at the recent Transport and Energy (TE) Forum event, which brought together industry leaders both in the public and private sectors to explore the crucial need for increased cooperation across the landscape. The forum, marked by the tagline 'Further & Faster,' acknowledged the strides the UK has made in achieving new charge point milestones but underscored the imperative for continued progress ...
Watch the webinar video and study our key takeaway points from our latest seminar focused on attendance. Our 2023 webinar programme is focused on supporting HR teams to improve the effectiveness and productivity of the organisations they work for, equipping them to best handle key issues and improve their business through reducing their risk, developing their talent and future proofing their organisation #HRImprove ...
As longstanding partners and participants in the Electricity Storage Network (ESN)’s working groups, Shoosmiths' Energy & Infrastructure sector were delighted to host the industry body’s Winter Conference at our London office earlier this week. The highly attended event demonstrated the in-demand level of insight needed on the UK and Irish market for energy storage projects ...
Watch the webinar video and study our key takeaway points from our latest seminar focused on Employee relations. Our 2023 webinar programme is focused on supporting HR teams to improve the effectiveness and productivity of the organisations they work for, equipping them to best handle key issues and improve their business through reducing their risk, developing their talent and future proofing their organisation #HRImprove ...
The Scottish Renewables Onshore Wind Conference held in September brought together industry leaders, leading onshore wind experts and stakeholders to explore the critical role of onshore wind in achieving net zero and how it can transform the onshore landscape. The event delved into various aspects, unveiling key insights and discussions that are crucial for the industry's trajectory ...
The government's attempt to remove the ban on employment businesses supplying temporary workers to cover striking workers has so far failed. What other options are available to employers to mitigate the impact of industrial action? The last two years’ have been marked with high profile industrial action across many sectors, including particularly damaging strikes on the railways and in the NHS ...
In recent months, colleagues in Scotland have been working closely with Glasgow City of Science and Innovation to partner in raising the profile of the Glasgow City Region on a national and international scale, showcasing its potential as a world-class hub for research and innovation ...
The acceleration in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies has been identified as a significant disruptor, influencing the design, operation, and location of data centres. AI models require large scale datasets and substantial computational power for training ...
The High Court handed down the approved judgment on Monday 6 November 2023 in the case between Siemens Mobility Limited (“Siemens”) and High Speed Two (HS2) Limited (“HS2”) ...
The media frequently reports on the ‘UK housing crisis’ and how increased building is required to satisfy current housing demands ...
In a recent panel session I attended at the CAN DO Summit in Glasgow featuring Lina Srebrova, XR Strategist at Digitalnauts, and Prof. Paul Chapman, Director of Emerging Technology at the Glasgow School of Art, the conversation delved into the disruptive potential of immersive technologies, particularly virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), on both society and business ...
Yesterday, Shoosmiths hosted an event by The Fashion Network titled ‘Trend Forecasting & Analysis Masterclass: For Fashion & FMCG Retail Business’. During this event we heard from fashion industry leaders on how the landscape of retail and marketing is ever evolving, influenced by a myriad of factors ranging from consumer behaviour to emerging technologies ...
Forming a ‘club’ or consortium of PE sponsors can be an enticing prospect, offering a chance to be part of something bigger while sharing the risk and bid price associated with the investment ...
On 26 October 2023 the Online Safety Act (‘the Act’) received Royal Assent, enacting rules designed to, in the UK government’s words, make the UK the safest place in the world to be online ...
Shoosmiths’ head of technology sector Joe Stephenson attended the Tech and Innovation Summit, focused on how public and private sector organisations are supercharging innovation into action. In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for businesses and governments alike. Below, we reveal our key takeaways from the event: Data Centres: Meeting the Demand for Growth The digital age has ushered in a surge in data generation and consumption ...
Given the pace of change over recent months it seems a cliché to say we’ve had an eventful couple of weeks for AI, but just a week on from the UK's AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, which followed hot on the heels of a sweeping executive order on AI from the Biden administration, it is worth reflecting on where the events of the last 10 days or so leave us in terms of prospective regulation of AI ...
Since April 2018, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) has prohibited landlords from renting commercial properties that do not meet certain environmental standards ...
