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Describes some elements of Gateway′s environmental policy: its commitment to energy conservation and a programme of tree planting. Details the reasons for its programme of tree planting and the partnership which is envisaged between Gateway, local industry, the local authorities and the community to restore derelict sites in the Avon area.

Switzerland′s largest retailer′s environmental programme to reduce the environmental burden of packaging is outlined. It is based on a system of eco‐balances – analyses from a narrow range of criteria of strictly quantifiable measurements of energy use, air and water consumption in raw material extraction and production, carbon dioxide emissions and landfill volumes.

Public concern over environmental issues such as ozone depletion, water pollution and the use of pesticides has translated into consumer reluctance to purchase certain products and a willingness to buy products seen as less harmful. A partnership between the Gateway super‐market chain and Landbank Environmental Consultancy was developed to address this concern; and has formulated an environmental strategy and programme identifying the areas of energy conservation, packaging, recycling, use of pesticides and countryside protection as priorities reflecting the nature of its business and resulting in the development of “environment‐friendly” products.

A study carried out by the Gateway supermarket chain and Landbank Environmental Consultancy partnership into environmental damage caused by the production, distribution and disposal of packaging materials produced a report providing Gateway′s packaging strategy for the 1990s. The report is summarised, identifying those packaging materials or systems which offer the clearest environmental benefits, noting the principal environmental problems associated with particular packaging materials, and setting a target for reducing energy consumption in their production. The principles of an environmental approach to packaging materials are also defined.

The law relating to foreign bodies in food and drink continues to grow in volume, if not in clarity. It is generally accepted that their presence may constitute an infringement of Section 2, Food and Drugs Act, 1955; that dust (or cement or paint or any other extraneous matter) adhering to the interior of a bottle means that the bottle is not clean within the meaning of regulation 27 (1), Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1959 or regulation 6 (2), Food Hygiene Regulations, 1960. This has been held to be so even if the dust (or other adherent substance) has been shown to be sterile. In Jones v. Bryn Dairy, Ltd., (1954), Q.B.D., a case under the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949 where the offence concerned dust adhering to the interior of a bottle of milk, Lord Goddard made the robust statement of the obvious—“clean means clean”—and rejected the argument that the bottle which contained the very small quantity of dust was clean because the dust itself was sterile. It had yet to be decided that similar considerations applied to a foreign body lying loose in the bottle; that such a bottle of milk was not in a state of thorough cleanliness before use. The decision of the Divisional Court in South Coast Dairies Ltd. v. Halstead (1963), (reported in December, 1963 issue of B.F.J.,) has now done this.

Attempts to show the wider social impact of collective redundancy creating recruits for the “flexible” sector of the labour force, those on temporary contracts, part time and self employed. Considers the way collective redundancy has changed the demographic structure of the UK labour force including a sizeable number of older unemployed individuals and many female part time workers. Argues that this could be seen as limited empowerment, labour market enfranchisement for women or marginalization of the traditional older male worker.

When Hull University became the first UK library to install the Geac 8000 system in 1980, the Brynmor Jones Library was fortunate in having programming staff from the University Computer Centre seconded to the Library on a semi‐permanent basis. By 1986 the programming team, which has varied in number from 1 to 3 over the years, had already created one of the first networked OPAC systems in the country and had also started to use the 8000 for non‐library systems. GEMS (an electronic message facility) available to all members of the University without the need for separate registration had proved so popular with students that the number of terminals in the Library accessing the system simultaneously had to be reduced in order to prevent other library users being denied access to the catalogue. Also, both a Careers Information system and a Stores system have been in daily use by many departments in the University since 1986. All these facilities were made available via the main Public Enquiry system on the 8000.

Four years ago the University Grants Committee, the Department of Education and Science, and the Scottish Education Department published the Brynmor Jones report on audio‐visual aids in higher scientific education. It gained Brynmor Jones a knighthood, led to the setting up of the National Council for Educational Technology, stimulated marginal interest, and made no fewer than 56 recommendations. The most important of these, the establishment of a national centre under NCET, has never been implemented. On the other 55 recommendations, progress has depended very largely on the enthusiasm of particular university centres.

It is estimated that in this country alone no less than 2,000,000 tons of food annually is destroyed by reason of the depredations of rats and mice. Neither powers nor organisations existed at the outbreak of war. which were adequate for the purpose of preventing wastage, which, under war conditions, became intolerable. That there was on the Statute Book the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, cannot be denied, but no authority existed for the control of destructive insects and mites in foodstuffs. The powers and duties vested in local authorities under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act were of little avail and it was allowed to fall into disuse without alternative provision being made. The control of these several groups of pests has for some years past been dependent on the powers derived from the Defence Regulations and continued under the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Act. The profession of the rat catcher is an old and universal one. In 17th century Italy the “ professional ” was recognised by his long pole bearing a square flag on which were representations of cats and mice; the Chinese equivalent bore a sign depicting a cat in a bag. An accepted method of destruction quoted in The Book of Days is one attributed to the Irish, who believed that they could rhyme any beast to death, and in particular the rat. Another prevalent notion was that rats had a presentiment of coming evil and always deserted in time a ship about to be wrecked, or a house about to be flooded or burned. In 1854 it was seriously reported in a Scottish provincial newspaper that the night before a town mill was destroyed by fire the rats belonging to the establishment were met migrating in a body to a neighbouring field. A more scientific approach is now being made to the problem. In August, 1947, a meeting was held in London to discuss the world‐wide problem of losses as a result of damage by insects, fungi and rodents, and to consider the steps to be taken to reduce such losses. Embracing a general consideration of the problem of infestation control, the meeting, convened by Dr. L. E. Kirk, head of the Plant Industry Research Branch, Agriculture Division, F.A.O., covered many phases of the subject, ranging from the economics of the problem to the toxicity of new synthetic insecticides. Accepting the principle that efficient prevention and control of food infestation was essential to the conservation of the world's food supply, the meeting recommended that:—

In 1964, the University of Sussex set up working parties to consider, respectively, the role of language laboratories, the relevance of programmed learning and the potential uses of closed‐circuit television. The working party concerned with television also considered other audio‐visual facilities and concluded that there was much to be said for setting up a special division of the University to supervise all such facilities. A central service unit was also recommended by the Brynmor Jones committee on audio‐visual aids in higher scientific education which published its report soon afterwards. The proposal was accepted by the Senate and a centre for academic services set up with broad terms of reference to promote and coordinate the use of television, film, sound recording, photographic, reprographic, programmed learning, and language laboratory services within the university and in association with other educational institutions.