This note explains why constituency-level poverty data are not available (apart from in Northern Ireland). It gives region/country level data (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the English regions) for poverty among the whole population, children, working-age adults and pensioners (with times series back to 1994/95 in a supplementary spreadsheet).
The global financial crisis has been tumultuous for Iceland. Until recently considered a rich, successful and competitive nation, Iceland suffered a dramatic collapse of its economy and currency following the collapse of its banking sector in October 2008. It was forced to negotiate a loan from the IMF and further financial support from a number of countries, and saw the fall of its government. The crisis has led to renewed suggestions that Iceland may apply to join the EU and adopt the euro. Following the Government's fall in January 2009, a caretaker Government took over in February and elections are expected on 25 April 2009. The major partner in the caretaker left-wing coalition, the Social Democratic Alliance, was a member of the previous administration and is strongly pro-EU, but its new partner, the Left Green Movement, has said it will continue to oppose EU membership.
Members of Parliament often express interest in incomes at a local level, and at the Parliamentary constituency level in particular. However, limited income statistics are available for smaller geographies, such as constituencies. This note outlines what is available at the constituency level.
The European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have been renegotiating their relationship. A series of interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) were signed with a number of ACP countries towards the end of 2007, as well as a more comprehensive EPA with the Caribbean ACPs.
This note updates with recent developments, and outlines some of the criticisms there have been of EPAs and the negotiations.
This note provides a political and economic overview of the current situation in Serbia. It looks at the halting progress which Serbia is making toward integration into the EU, held up to a large extent by Serbia's failure to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and at the dynamic political landscape of 2008 with both presidential and parliamentary elections. Serbia continues to have difficult relationships with some of its neighbours, particularly Kosovo, and is awaiting the outcome of the International Court of Justice ruling on the legality of Kosovo's February 2007 declaration of independence. The note also looks at the current economic situation in Serbia. While Serbia had seen strong growth since 2000, accompanied by the implementation of reforms, following the conflicts and crises of the 1990s, Serbia has suffered under the global financial crisis, primarily because of its large current account deficit. Serbia also suffers from high levels of unemployment and poverty.
The European Union offers developing countries unilateral preferential trading arrangements under its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which is split into three parts: standard GSP, GSP+ and 'Everything But Arms'.
A new GSP Regulation is to enter into force on 1 January 2009, running to the end of 2011. This note outlines the changes that have been made, providing a background and history to the GSP.
This note summarises the background to and issues surrounding Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), which have received a great deal of political and media attention through the creation of China's fund and the large investments made by SWFs in various Western financial institutions during the global 'credit crunch'.
The Government set itself a target to reduce child poverty by a quarter between 1998/99 and 2004/05. This was an initial step towards halving it by 2010/11 and an ultimate goal of 'eradicating' it by 2020.
This archived note outlines how the 2004/05 target was missed, alongside commentary around the target at the time these data were released in March 2006. A new three-part measure of child poverty is being used to judge the 2010/11 target and progress towards it (see SN/EP/3314 for details).
Full background and methodology behind the statistics presented here is given in the Poverty: Measures and Targets Library Research Paper (RP04/23).