Research Briefing
Modern Slavery Bill 2014-15
This Bill modernises and consolidates the offences relating to slavery, and creates an Anti-Slavery Commissioner, and provision for child trafficking advocates.
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Research Briefing
Criminal Justice and Courts Bill: Commons stages
The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill 2013-14 had its second reading on 24 February 2014 and was carried over to 2014-15 session. Library Research Paper 14/8 The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill provides background on the proposals in the Bill. There are four parts covering criminal justice, including offences relating to extreme pornographic images and release and recall of prisoners, young offenders, secure colleges and youth cautions, changes to courts and tribunals, including strict liability and jury misconduct, and judicial review changes, which attracted much written and oral evidence.
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Research Briefing
Pre-election contacts between civil servants and opposition parties
By convention, opposition parties are entitled to enter into confidential discussions with senior civil servants in the run-up to a general election. This note outlines the current arrangements and also provides a brief history of the convention.
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Research Briefing
Scottish referendum- the campaign rules
This Note covers the campaign rules which are set out in the Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013.
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Research Briefing
Draft Modern Slavery Bill
On 16 December 2013 the Government published a White Paper which included a Draft Modern Slavery Bill. The draft Bill contains provisions to: consolidate existing offences, create new civil orders and establish and new Anti-Slavery Commissioner. The Bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny.
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Research Briefing
Wales Bill 2013-14
The Wales Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 20 March 2014; it is due to have its second reading on 31 March 2014. The Bill devolves some tax-raising powers to the National Assembly for Wales. Stamp duty and landfill tax are devolved, while a power is created to reduce income tax by 10 pence in the pound and put a Welsh rate of income tax in its place. The Bill allows these powers over income tax to be devolved only if they are approved in a referendum, the calling of which is subject to parliamentary approval and a two-thirds majority in the Assembly.
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Research Briefing
FoI and Ministerial vetoes
The Lord Chancellor, Jack Straw, issued the first ministerial veto in relation to a FoI request on 23 February 2009 for the contents of the legal advice on military action against Iraq. Two subsequent vetoes were issued protecting communications on devolution issues and a fourth on. A fourth veto was issued on 8 May 2012 blocking the release of the NHS Transitional Risk Register and a fifth in July 2012 blocking extracts from Cabinet minutes on the military action against Iraq in 2003. The most recent, the sixth, was on 16 October 2012, relating to the release of correspondence from Prince Charles to Government departments. This Standard Note traces the history of the veto within FoI legislation and summarises comparative examples abroad.
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Research Briefing
European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013-14-progress of the bill
This Standard Note sets out progress on the European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013-4 introduced by the Conservative MP James Wharton, who was first in the ballot for Private Members’ Bills. Research Paper 13/41 European Union (Referendum) Bill gives full background to the Bill.
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Research Briefing
Criminal Justice and Courts Bill
The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill would make a number of changes to the criminal justice system including sentencing; cautions; prisoners’ release and recall; and the detention of young offenders. It would also reform court proceedings and costs; establish a new system of strict liability in contempt proceedings; create new offences for juror misconduct; make changes to the conduct and funding of judicial review claims; and amend the law on extreme pornography.
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Research Briefing
Campaigners and Part 2 of Transparency of Lobbying etc Act 2014
Campaigners and charities were concerned about the new provisions in part 2 of the Transparency of Lobbying Bill during its passage. This Note sets out the main changes which will affect them in the run-up to the general election of May 2015.
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Research Briefing
The McKay Commission: Report of the Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons
This Note looks at the McKay Commission: Report of the Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons. The report called for the adoption of a constitutional convention that decisions at the United Kingdom level with a separate and distinct effect for England (or for England-and-Wales) should normally be taken only with the consent of a majority of MPs for constituencies in England (or England-and-Wales).
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Research Briefing
Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill: Lords amendments
An update on the amendments to the Bill during its passage through the House of Lords.
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