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Key Dates

From July 2011, HMRC will stop issuing cards to adults. Adults needing a National Insurance number for the first time will receive their number on a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions.

However, teenagers approaching the age 16 will still be sent a National Insurance number card and this will continue until later in the year.

LINK: Phasing out of National Insurance cards

For larger businesses, this number was higher at 45 per cent, with only 13 per cent of executives from these larger firms saying they knew "nothing" about competition law.

The survey also found that smaller businesses were less able to identify practices that breach competition law.

In response to the findings and suggestions from business groups, the OFT's guidance package includes a Quick Guide summary of competition law compliance and a film explaining how competition law works in practice. These highlight how businesses can implement the simple four-step compliance process.

John Fingleton, OFT chief executive, said: "We recognise that most businesses want to comply with the law and are keen to help them avoid breaching the law in the first place, supporting this by taking strong enforcement action against those who do not comply.

"Businesses have told us that competition law is far higher up the business agenda than even five years ago, and this has been confirmed in our survey. The guidance documents published today are intended to support businesses and company directors by providing practical guidance on the steps they can take in order to comply with competition law."

LINK: Competition law compliance guidance

As a result it will be easier and cheaper to register patents, with far fewer translations required than at present. The availability of a single patent for the European market is set to act as an incentive for innovation and will enhance the competitiveness of European businesses.

UK Intellectual Property Minister Baroness Wilcox said: "The savings to UK business are likely to be around £20 million per year in translations costs alone."

The measures will be adopted later in the year. A recent independent review of Intellectual Property and Growth by Professor Ian Hargreaves found that establishing a unitary patent would remove intellectual property barriers between EU countries and could increase UK national income by over £2 billion a year by 2020.

LINK: Press release on patent unification

• which aspects of enforcement do you find most difficult to deal with and how could things be done differently?
• what impact do these problems have on your business?
• do regulators recognise where you have made efforts to comply? What more do you think could be done to ensure regulators take your efforts into account?
• is it easy for you to appeal or complain about the way regulations are enforced?
• do you have any examples of good "common sense" enforcement where you feel that a regulator has really done its best to understand and work around the realities you face as a business?
• is enforcement flexible enough to keep pace with the way your business is developing?

Business Minister Mark Prisk said: "The Red Tape Challenge has already highlighted a number of ways in which compliance problems are getting in the way of businesses, but we weren't getting enough information on the problems.

"So tell us about the good, the bad and the ugly side of how the regulations you deal with are enforced, and help us get the Government off your back."

LINK: Red Tape Challenge

Using the software, the department can pinpoint more accurately people who have failed to pay the right tax. The web robot, used in conjunction with HMRC's Connect computer system, also helps find people who are trading without telling HMRC.

Connect alerts HMRC to previously invisible tax evasion by matching HMRC and third party data. It is able to highlight previously hidden relationships, uncovering anomalies between elements including bank interest, property income and lifestyle indicators before homing in on unexplained inconsistencies.

HMRC announced last month that a campaign targeting VAT rule-breakers trading above the £73,000 registration limit. Other campaigns that will be launched in 2011/12 will focus on:

• those who provide private tuition and coaching
• e-marketplaces, including people who use e-marketplaces to buy and sell goods as a trade or business and who fail to pay the tax owed
• trades, which will build on HMRC's current plumbers' campaign.

LINK: Reporting tax evasion

Welcoming the agreement, Mr Hague said: "This new treaty represents an important step towards the modernisation of the UK's tax treaty network and marks further progress in relations between the UK and China.

"It will encourage greater flows of cross border trade and investment which are vital for prosperity in both countries."

The agreement will enter into force once both countries have completed their legislative procedures. Its provisions will then take effect from the following year.

The agreement was signed during a three-day visit to the UK by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. During the visit, Prime Minister David Cameron announced trade deals worth £1.4 billion following a UK-China summit and said trade with China represented a "huge opportunity" for the UK.

LINK: UK-China summit

The government is concerned that 20 weeks of maternity leave at full pay would result in considerable costs for EU member states when they can least afford it.

Mr Grayling said: "The proposals that MEPs put forward are costly for the UK. When member states are trying to balance their books in difficult times, this is the wrong approach to adopt."

Employment Relations Minister Edward Davey added: "What MEPs have tabled is not the right solution. Minimum standards are important but it should be down to the individual member states to adopt their own model – not for Europe to dictate this.

"We have recently launched our own consultation that looks at introducing a fully flexible and family-friendly solution to parental leave that is tailored to suit the UK. Simply saying 20 weeks at full pay, in a one size fits all format, is not the way forward."

The government's Modern Workplaces consultation continues until 8 August.

LINK: Modern workplaces consultation

• annual leave requests
• sickness absence
• poor performance.

The advice provides links to a number of appropriate Business Link guides on different issues that might arise. It also points out that according to Acas, staying flexible will help to maintain productivity and keep employees engaged.

Business Link also points out: "During the event, you might see an increase in use of Facebook, Twitter and other websites, including the official Rugby World Cup website.

"To help you manage this, you need to have a clear policy on internet use at work. You need to say what is and is not acceptable. However, if you are monitoring workers' internet use, data protection regulations require you to let staff know this is happening."

LINK: Rugby World Cup guidance