More years ago than I care to remember I was a temp. I had a couple of rather grim jobs (although one delivered a gorgeous boyfriend) and then a wonderful one, which led to a permanent place in a lovely company.

As a consequence, I have always been nice to temps coming into my workplace, as I know that many staff find it easier not to bother to get to know them.

I only learnt recently that most of Britain's 1.3 million temps have some of the poorest rights in Europe. Now the government has agreed to an EU deal which will give temps the salaries, holidays, overtime and rest periods of full-time colleagues after just 12 weeks in a job. At the moment temps are not entitled to any of these things.

Not included in the changes are sick pay, private medical cover or occupational pensions and temps will not have the right to claim unfair dismissal at a tribunal.

Small business groups have reacted with fury and a poll of members of the Federation of Small Businesses, which represents 210,000 firms, said a poll of members showed 96% would now be less likely to employ temps.

The law has yet to take effect - watch this space......

Have your say... are you a temp who is delighted at the prospect of a better deal? Are you an employer who will no longer use temps? Leave your comment below....

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I had to check the date when I saw a photo of Karl Lagerfeld wearing evening dress and a high-res bib in an advert. But it's no April Fool. The fashion maestro is promoting the new kit required for anyone driving in France.

You don't need to wear it all the time (although I was tempted to say you were....) but if you break down. You also need to carry a warning triangle. The new laws which came into effect on 1 July require all cars to carry a luminous yellow safety vest for the driver to wear in an emergency.

Those caught without a vest face a £100 on-the-spot fine.

The new regulation brings France into line with Spain and Germany. It's well worth checking up on the driving requirements for any foreign country you're visiting as they are often different from the UK. Don't forget to check your insurance covers you, too.

Have you been caught out by an unexpected road law in another country? Are there any you would like to see introduced in the UK? Leave your comment below....

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When I think of all the things that the government could be spending time and money on, it makes my blood boil to think of how much has been wasted on such a pointless exercise as Home Information Packs.

If you are a buyer who has found one useful (or not) I would love to hear from you.... 

Meanwhile, the property industry is getting increasingly fed up with them and is starting to highlight the obvious weaknesses.

This week the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) says the packs are not fit for purpose and as the market slowed, the problems became worse. The body says that local searches are out of date by the time a property is sold. It wants a simpler pack introduced which would include a sellers' questionnaire, an Energy Performance Certificate, and the Land Registry title and plan.

The NAEA has joined forces with RICS (Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors) to lobby for changes. A revised HIP could concentrate on consumer information with legal information being taken out and obtained by legal advisers at the appropriate time. These changes would cut unnecessary cost and ensure that sellers and buyers receive the service they want from their professional advisers.

The Conservatives say they will scrap the packs if they came to power.

Have you received a HIP? Was it useful? Would you like to see them scrapped? Leave a comment below...

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There is an old saying that when money walks out the front door, love flies out of the window. So is the credit crunch starting to impact on our love lives?

New figures show that we are now seeing divorce rates soar by 150% since last year according to Solicitors SAS Daniels. This follows the happy times of 2006 when divorce rates were the lowest they have been in 22 years. We can only speculate as to whether this had anything to do with the heavy-spending, high-credit lifestyle of that time.

Apparently the figures are expected to rise again in August and September as couples return from holidays and realise they cannot stand each other. A spokesman said: “It’s a combination of circumstances. Personal finance pressure, a nation who can’t completely switch off on holiday, and getting thrown together for two weeks solid with a spouse they wouldn’t normally see for more than a few hours a day. Throw in alcohol, travel delays, bickering kids and a hotel or apartment that’s tiny or not up to scratch, and it all becomes a pressure cooker just waiting to blow.”

If you're getting cold feet about your own relationship in advance of your wedding then you may be interested in the story of heartbroken Rosemary Shell who was dumped three days before her big day. She sued her former fiance and won £75,000 in damages and compensation. OK, so it was in America but watch this space.

Meanwhile.... for an estimated 260,000 people there is an extra set of bills to tot up and added pressure during the credit crunch. I'm pretty sure you won't feel sorry for them though. They are spending their cash on affairs. In fact, Britain's 'Affair Economy' was worth just over £670 million in the 2007/2008  – an increase of more than £85 million on previous year.

The figures come from the much-debated IlicitEncounters website which says cheats are spending an average of £296.40 each time they play away. Most couples spent between £120 and £200 on a room in a four-star or higher rated hotel, with dinner and drinks accounting for between £62.50 and £100. Travel costs up to £100, while many budgeted up to £200 on a new outfit, set of clothes or lingerie for their encounter.

Many men continue to cover the costs of an affair and do not claim them as a business expense. But they are keen to ensure their lovers know they pick up the bill themselves.

Share your thoughts and comments - leave a comment below.

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You may be hooked on the housemates or you might prefer the idea of watching paint dry. It's just incredible to think how much police time it wastes.

Figures obtained by The Sunday Mirror under the Freedom of Information Act show that BB9 has already cost £80,000 and the total could be double that before the show ends in September. When added to the costs of previous series, you're looking at £500,000 of police costs in the last six years.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Police said all police costs were billed to programme makers Endemol. He said: "The decision to bill the programme makers was taken in 2002. The cost should not be met by the taxpayer. At no time is policing in Hertfordshire compromised by officers having to deal with events in the show."

If you live in Hertfordshire, it can't be much of a comfort. The day-to-day demands include a team of officers patrolling around the studio every Friday night during the live eviction. A specialist search team also had to attend the BB studios after a bomb scare. Then there is the ongoing cost of investigating Alexandra De-Gale's "gangster" threats.

In July last year, officers looked into alleged racism but no charges were brought. That series, BB8, cost a total of £114,923 to police. In January 2007, Jade Goody bullied Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother, which cost £14,500 to look into. Again, no charges were brought. In August 2005 in BB6, a series of vicious rows pushed security costs up to £79,813. BB5's bill was £43,548, BB4 in 2003 cost £33,468 and series three was cheap at 'just' £12,655.

So the programme stumps up the cash to pay back the taxpayer. But unless Herts police employ 'seasonal' teams to deal with Big Brother every year, it's hard to see how local people are not losing resources to the show.

Have your say.... Is it OK, so long as the money is repaid? Or should TV companies shell out for private security? Leave a comment below...

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