Annual report 2005

Last month the Labour Research Department (LRD) published its Annual Report for 2005 (available at www.lrd.org.uk).

In 2005 sales of both Labour Research and LRD booklets increased, in part because of a major national order.

The number of users of LRD Publications Online increased sharply, with technical and professional union Amicus subscribing for all its members.

Use of LRD‘s internet pay and conditions service Payline also increased, with shopworkers‘ union USDAW and the AUT lecturers‘ union subscribing for the first time.

The accounts showed a surplus of £17,595 for the year, a welcome result after two years of losses. Income rose by 7.2% while expenditure only went up by 3.2%.

These figures do not include an extremely generous donation of £40,000 from Chris Whittaker, one of the Eva Reckitt beneficiaries (there are several beneficiaries from the family of Eva Reckitt, who worked for the Department in its early years). LRD plans to use it to help fund major developments in the Department’s services.