• Research Briefing

    London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Amendment) Bill

    This Bill makes a small number of technical amendments to the advertising and trading, ticket touting and traffic management provisions of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006. These amendments cover the seizure of articles which contravene advertising and trading regulations; the parliamentary procedure and notice periods required when new advertising and trading regulations are introduced; the penalty for unauthorised sales of Olympic tickets; and traffic regulation and enforcement during the Games.

  • Research Briefing

    Digital Economy Act 2010

    The Digital Economy Act 2010 received the Royal Assent on 8 April 2010 following accelerated debate in the House of Commons as part of the pre-election "wash-up". The present Government has confirmed that there are no plans to repeal any of the Act's provisions

  • Research Briefing

    Local newspapers

    The Government has decided to cancel three pilot schemes in favour of developing broadband infrastructure and promoting local TV stations. This comes at a time when local newspapers face competition from the internet and local authority newspapers and have difficulty in maintaining levels of funding from advertising.

  • Research Briefing

    Digital Economy Bill [HL]

    The Bill implements aspects of Government policy on digital media set out in the ‘Digital Britain’ White Paper published in June 2009. It requires Ofcom to report on communications infrastructure and media content and gives it additional powers in relation to electromagnetic spectrum access. It imposes obligations on internet service providers to reduce online copyright infringement and allows the Secretary of State to intervene in internet domain name registration. The Bill requires Channel Four to provide public service content on a range of media and allows variation of the public service provision in Channel 3 and 5 licences. It also modifies the licensing regime to facilitate switchover to digital radio, extends the range of video games that are subject to age-related classification and includes non-print formats in the public lending right payment scheme.

  • Research Briefing

    The National Lottery: the first 15 years

    This Research Paper examines how the National Lottery operates in the UK. In particular, the paper explains the process by which Lottery funds are applied for and distributed to good causes, and summarises trends in the allocation of funding by region and constituency. In addition the paper addresses a number of criticisms levelled at the operation of the Lottery including politically-motivated distribution and the withholding of funds by the distributing bodies.

  • Research Briefing

    Newspaper and magazine distribution agreements: competition issues

    This note explains the competition issues associated with newspaper and magazine distribution agreements including: whether the distribution agreements which restrict distribution territories are compatible with competition law; the decision to let the National Newspaper Code of Practice lapse; and the OFT's September 2009 decision not to refer the sector to the Competition Commission

  • Research Briefing

    Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Bill: Committee stage report

    This Bill (formerly known as the Holocaust (Stolen Art) Restitution Bill, is a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Andrew Dismore. It gives the trustees of various public museums in Great Britain the power to transfer any cultural objects currently held in their collections which had been misappropriated by the Nazi regime between 1939 and 1945, so that they can be restored to the lawful owners or their heirs. This is a report on the Committee stage of the Bill.

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