Inbrief

MPs will begin to go through the final parts of the UK's Companies Bill this month as it reaches its report and third reading stages. A timetable for remaining debate on the Bill, which is likely to introduce new requirements for companies to report on their social and environmental impacts and for directors to take more account of CSR issues, should be announced on 9 October, when members of parliament return from their summer break. Margaret Hodge, the industry minister, told a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference last month that the government was considering whether to extend the scope of the bill to include private companies. However, this was unlikely to happen until the Companies Bill became law, she said.