On the 1 June, a UK parliamentary body published a report on the use of government procurement cards (GPCs). These payment cards were introduced in 1997 as a cost effective way for government bodies to make low value purchases.

Last week's announcement by Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, Argentina's president, of the state acquisition of 51% of Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF), the Spanish-controlled oil company, has put the spotlight on the issue of resource nationalisation in Latin America.