Research Briefing
Terrorist Asset-Freezing Etc Bill [HL] 2010-11: Committee Stage Report
This note summarises the debates at Commons Committee Stage on the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Etc. Bill [HL]
-
-
Research Briefing
Parliamentary Material on Royal Mail to May 2010
This note provides information and links to Parliamentary information on the Post Office and Royal Mail Post Offices to May 2010.
-
Research Briefing
Savings Account and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill: Committee Stage Report
The Bill gives effect to decisions made as part of the initial review of public expenditure undertaken soon after the 2010 General Election. This Paper summarises proceedings in the Commons Committee Stage of the Bill. Several amendments proposed but none were successful. The paper complements Research Paper 10/66, which was prepared for the Second Reading of the Bill.
-
Research Briefing
G20 & the November 2010 Seoul summit
The G20 has met at leaders' level since November 2008. The second summit in 2010 takes place in Seoul in November. This note provides background to the G20, outcomes of summits so far, the agenda for Seoul, and the G8/G20 relationship.
-
Research Briefing
Supermarkets Controls over Buyer Power
This note deals with concerns that the four large supermarkets are so large that farmers and other suppliers are not paid a fair price for their produce
-
Research Briefing
Lawful Industrial Action (Minor Errors) Bill Bill No 4 of 2010/11
The Bill proposes reducing regulatory burdens on trade unions in relation to the balloting and notice requirements for lawful industrial action. It extends the provision for small accidental errors contained in section 232B of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. The burden of proof in applications by an employer to restrain strike action by injunction will be changed. The employer will have to show that the union has failed to achieve “substantial compliance” with the ballot and notice requirements.
-
Research Briefing
Community Reinvestment Act
Community Reinvestment Act. By Timothy Edmonds. SN/BT/400.
-
Research Briefing
Equitable Life (Payments) Bill [Bill 62 of 2010-11]
This paper has been written for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons. The Bill provides the authority for a payments scheme for eligible former and current Equitable Life policyholders in respect of the consequences of maladministration by regulatory bodies as identified by the Ombudsman and accepted by government. The paper outlines the commercial problems of Equitable Life; the series of investigations into the regulation of its activities; and the work of the office of Sir John Chadwick in devising principles for designing a workable system of payments. The Bill is a short, simple and technical measure. Although the precise shape of the payments scheme is as yet unknown, this Bill provides the authority for money to be paid once it is set up and clarifies the tax treatment of future payments.
-
Research Briefing
Keydata Investment Services in administration
Keydata Investment Services was placed into administration by the Financial Services Authority in June 2009. The administrators, PricewaterhouseCoopers, found a number of serious issues at the company, one of which was that many products sold as ISAs were in fact ineligible for tax-free saving status. More seriously, they subsequently found that income on certain investment products had not been paid in recent months, and, in the case of one type of investment, they had been unable to satisfy themselves as to the safe custody of the underlying assets", and suggested that "the assets have been liquidated and may have been misappropriated".
-
-
Research Briefing
The Terrorist Asset-Freezing Etc.Bill 2010-11
Describes the cases that led to the quashing of the terrorist asset-freezing regime by the Supreme Court, the temporary provisions bill that reinstated it and the present Bill, designed to provide a permanent solution to the problem.
-
Research Briefing
Taxpayer direct support to banks
This Standard Note considers the Government's interventions ("direct support") in four major UK banks, namely Northern Rock, Bradford and Bingley, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Lloyds Banking Group (formerly Lloyds TSB and Halifax/Bank of Scotland). It considers the background of the "direct support" in the four banks, the role of the Government-owned UK Financial Investments Ltd in managing the taxpayers stakes in these banks, and the current valuation of these interventions. It also considers when the taxpayers' shareholdings in Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group might be sold, and the possible privatisation of Northern Rock, and Bradford and Bingley.
-
Research Briefing
Economic indicators, July 2010
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries. This edition includes articles on future growth in the UK economy, and the CPI and benefit indexation. [article:'Future growth in the UK economy' and 'The CPI and benefit indexation']
-
Research Briefing
Independent garages and the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation
Independent garages have raised concerns about the EC Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation, which was due to expire in May 2010. This note looks at the purpose of the Regulation and the changes which have been made to it.
-
Total results (page 61 of 71)