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June 16,1972 Industrial relations — National Industrial Relations Court — Contempt — Committal for — Whether breach of court's order to be proved with same strictness as in High Court — Whether court may proceed against contemnor on own initiative — Official Solicitor — Powers and duties on behalf of alleged contemnor — Industrial Relations Act, 1971 (c. 72), Sch. 3, para. 27 (1) (a).

The growing proportion of older people in the United Kingdom requires policies that are cost‐effective and responsive to their needs. Both these factors have led to growing emphasis on policies which enable older people to remain in homes of their own. Older people are becoming more vociferous in expressing their views and are being encouraged to do this. This article reports on three pieces of research funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) which have attempted to draw on the views of older people about assistive technology and its role in staying at home policies.

The background to the new Food Safety Act and the present position are considered. The principles of Food Acts over the years have been sound, but modern developments necessitated adjustment. The provisions of the new Act are detailed and discussed in the following areas: scope; enforcement; offences; inspectors′ powers; consumer protection; regulatory powers of ministers; novel foods; registration/licensing; defences; and the administration of the new Act. It is concluded that the new Act will lead to an uplifting of standards towards those of the best.

The harmonisation of food laws and regulations in Europe is focused on. The European Court′s role as a catalyst for change and the strategy of the European Commission are outlined. The background to the various directives and regulations controlling food manufacture and production is described and the effect they will have on member countries is noted.

Modern food law can trace its roots back to the late nineteenth century when the Adulteration of Food and Drink Act 1860 was introduced. Since then the legislation has developed and evolved, often in response to specific incidents where an apparently insignificant change to a process or recipe has impacted on food safety. Progressively, controls on food standards and labelling were developed and introduced, the pace quickening from about 1950 onwards. Controls from the 1970s have had to be harmonised across the European Community. Recent concerns over food safety have involved food irradiation and genetic modification. Assurances from experts about the safety of these processes have not entirely satisfied consumers, with the result that labelling has been an important piece of the regulatory jigsaw in these cases. Labelling is also to the fore in the current debate on functional foods. These, and other, issues command the attention of the government’s advisory bodies, in particular the Food Advisory Committee. The regulatory process must become more open and allow public participation if government and expert committees are to win and retain the confidence of the consuming public.

The historical development in the UK of the labelling of prepacked food is traced and the evolution of regulatory controls is described, as well as their nature. The impact of UK membership of the European Union on food labelling requirements is considered and likely future developments are included. The need to rethink approaches to food labelling so as to facilitate multilingual labels is highlighted. The desirability of reviewing food labelling regulatory practices in the light of a future scenario driven by information technology and distance shopping is emphasized.

The research reported here focuses on how far, and at what cost, the housing stock can be modified to accommodate the assistive technology (AT) to enable older people to remain in their own homes. The conclusion is that the adaptability of the housing depends on a range of factors and costs. Older people welcome AT when it addresses a felt need. This article answers some of the frequently asked questions about the project.

Rolls‐Royce engineers and the School of Engineering at the University of Sussex recently launched an important technology research programme initially worth almost half a million pounds.