CASE HUB ARCHIVED–this archived case hub reflects the position at the date of the abandonment of the transaction on 2 May 2016; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline and commentary. Case facts Outline European Commission merger investigation into the planned acquisition by Halliburton of Baker Hughes (Case M.7477). The transaction involves horizontal overlaps in relation to the provision of oilfield services. Latest developments On 1 May 2016, the parties announced that they had abandoned the transaction and the notification was withdrawn on 2 May 2016. Parties Halliburton, a US company headquartered in Houston, Texas and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Halliburton was founded in 1919 and is one of the largest providers of products and services to the energy industry in the world, with over 80,000 employees active in more than 80 countries. Baker Hughes, a US company headquartered in Houston, Texas and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Baker Hughes was formed through the merger of Baker International and Hughes Tool Company and is a leading supplier of oilfield services,

The legal requirements of hallmarking The Hallmarking Act 1973 (HA 1973) controls the selling of items described as 'gold', 'silver', 'platinum' or 'palladium'. A hallmark is a series of marks applied to articles made of these precious metals, which indicates that the article has been independently tested at an Assay Office. It is a guarantee that the item conforms to the legal standards of precious metal content, known as 'fineness' (the ratio of precious metal to alloy in the article expressed in parts per thousand). Articles described as being wholly or partly made of gold, sliver, platinum or palladium must bear the appropriate hallmarks before they can be supplied or offered for supply. Subject to certain exceptions, unhallmarked articles cannot be described as being wholly or partly made of gold, silver, platinum or palladium. An approved explanatory hallmarking notice must be displayed for customers in premises where articles made of gold, sliver or platinum are made, supplied, sold or exchanged etc. Approved notices are issued by the British Hallmarking Council. When are hallmarks not required? Hallmarks

The report of the committee on governance'>corporate governance published in January 1998 to review the implementation of the Cadbury Report and Greenbury Report. The Hampel Report formed the basis of the Combined Code.

Hampshire County Council's Cabinet has approved the next steps towards a potential challenge to the Secretary of State's local government reorganisation decision for Hampshire and the Solent. Cabinet delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, Executive Member for Corporate Services and Monitoring Officer, to obtain further counsel's advice and determine whether proceedings should be commenced. The potential challenge concerns the Secretary of State's decision to proceed with the implementation of a five-unitary authority model for the area. Cabinet considered that the proposed model risked being financially unsustainable and that an adequate explanation had not been provided as to why it was considered acceptable on financial grounds. Cabinet also rejected the option of not pursuing a challenge, citing its responsibility to protect sustainable public services in the future.

Hampshire County Council has commenced judicial review proceedings against the government’s local government reorganisation (LGR) decision for the Hampshire and Solent area. The government's plan, announced in March 2026, intended to reduce councils across Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth from 14 to 4 unitary authorities by April 2028. The Council states that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has failed to adequately explain the Secretary of State's decision-making process or justify the financial case for the decision, prompting the commencement of formal legal proceedings.

An independent review chaired by Sir Philip Hampton and the late Dame Helen Alexander, which proposed a number of measures to improve the gender balance in FTSE 350 companies.

Syndrome caused by the extended and repeated use of vibrating tools such as pneumatic drills.

This Practice Note deals with the causation issues which commonly occur in hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) claims, also known as vibration white finger (VWF). This Practice Note will refer to HAVS. Practical guidance on the best approach for dealing with this type of claim is provided including an overview of the key case law on causation, the challenges in relation to a diagnosis, the importance of photographic evidence and the claimant's description of their symptoms, apportionment of liability, and the interplay with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). For guidance on liability and quantum issues including the importance of the defendant’s date of knowledge of the risk and limitation issues, see Practice Note: Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) or vibration white finger (VWF)—liability and quantum. Diagnosis The question of causation is a difficult one as there is no hard-and-fast diagnostic approach and methodology varies widely between experts. This is compounded by the fact people can experience equivalent vascular symptoms without exposure to vibration. HAVS symptoms include:

Symptomology The most apparent symptom of hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), also known as vibration white finger (VWF), is whitening of the fingers due to spasms of the blood vessels serving them. These spasms can affect all or part of any or all of the sufferer's fingers, which become cold and numb. The attacks can last anywhere from mere minutes up to a couple of hours. It is also possible for sufferers to experience attacks in the feet or nose. The condition is not treatable but may spontaneously improve. The condition may occur naturally, but is often related to over-exposure to vibrating tools. The cause of the condition has not always been understood and crucially for litigation in these cases the courts have limited liability to the periods after which employers ought reasonably to have been aware of the risks of HAVS and the appropriate practices of prevention to adopt. In order to succeed, a claimant must therefore show that their level of exposure to vibrating tools

A copper distribution frame.

The process by which, at the end of the contract period, the assets which make up the project transfer to the public sector party. At the point of handback the assets will be required to meet certain standards and have a certain 'lifecycle' left in them.

Mobile phones, pagers and other personal digital assistants