HMRC's Making Tax Digital programme has the potential to be an expensive disaster unless plans for the national rollout are delayed, according to MPs in the Treasury Committee, who are calling for a one to two year delay to the introduction of quarterly reporting, which is being rushed through to meet a 2018 kickoff date

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is considering introducing new laws as part of a crackdown on corporate economic crime, and is seeking views on whether further reform is needed to combat corporate criminality, following fraudulent, dishonest activity by some banks and other commercial organisations, reports Pat Sweet

A number of significant employment law changes from gender pay gap reporting to changes to the national minimum wage increase cycle are being introduced this year, with many coming into force from April. Joanna Stubbs, head of content at XpertHR Group examines the top five issues

A Charity Commission inquiry into Masoom, a charity which operated in areas including Syria and Pakistan, has found evidence of poor financial management and governance and misconduct by trustees in relation to sending funds overseas

Governance leaders in UK business and investment are launching a joint project to provide guidance on how the boards of the UK’s top companies can better reflect the views of their employees and other stakeholders in their decision making, with the aim of issuing voluntary guidance ahead of the outcome of a government consultation on improving governance

The US regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has outlined its priority areas for compliance activity this year, which include electronic investment advice, money market funds, and financial exploitation of senior investors

The total value of reported fraud in 2016 hit a five-year high, up 31.5% to £2bn, meanwhile reported fraud in financial services has fallen, according to analysis by BDO

CABA has launched an online career adaptability tool for ICAEW members and their families, to show users how capable they are when adapting and managing change occurring in modern working life

A conference in a dodgy part of town leaves Finance Mole battered and bruised by a combination of missing delegates and an exuberant finance team

Top 25 accountancy firm HW Fisher & Company has merged with the London-based firm Rhodes & Rhodes as part of a growth strategy in a push to broaden its services

Last year saw the reversal of a six year downward trend in levels of insolvency for British businesses, as there was an uptick in companies entering into administration in the second half of 2016, according to analysis from KPMG

There has been widespread criticism of calls from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for a cap on the earnings of top executives working for companies which want to do business with the public sector, after he suggested there could either be a ceiling on salaries, or the introduction of a fixed worker/executive pay ratio