Research Briefing
Probate fees
This Commons Library briefing paper considers the Government's previous proposals to reform probate fees by using a statutory power to charge fees set above cost recovery levels. These proposals have now been withdrawn
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Research Briefing
Northern Ireland, Citizenship and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
The definition of 'EEA citizen' in the rules for the Home Office's settled status scheme has recently changed. What are the consequences? How do these changes affect the people of Northern Ireland? Why are some people unhappy with these changes? What does British nationality law say about people born in Northern Ireland? How do these nationality laws interact with the birthright provision of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement? What does the European Convention on Human Rights say about identity and immigration? What do the people of Northern Ireland say when they are asked about their nationality? This paper looks at the complex issues behind all these questions.
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Research Briefing
No-deal Brexit: A guide to Commons Library research
The No-deal Brexit: A guide to Commons Library research is an annotated bibliography of sources published by the House of Commons Library on a potential no-deal Brexit. It will be updated regularly. Links to the papers included in the resource are available on this page, the downloadable version includes additional comment on some of the selected papers.
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Research Briefing
Inheritance tax and civil partnerships
This note looks at the debate on the treatment of spouses and civil partners for the purposes of inheritance tax, principally in the context of the passage of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004, and the provisions in Budget 2005 to ensure the tax system treated each in the same way.
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Research Briefing
Obtaining a copy of a will
This Commons Library briefing paper provides information about obtaining a copy of a will. In general, a will is a private document unless and until a grant of probate is issued. Once a grant of probate has been issued, a will becomes a public document and anyone can apply to have a copy.
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Research Briefing
Breathing space for individuals in problem debt
The Treasury has confirmed that before the end of the year the government will lay before Parliament new regulations to implement a statutory breathing space in early 2021. A statutory debt repayment plan will be developed to a longer timetable. Both interventions are intended to complement the government’s wider work to support consumers who take on problem debt. This Commons briefing paper considers the scheme in detail.
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Research Briefing
Pensions: civil partnerships and same sex marriages
This note looks at the way in which forming a civil partnership affects rights to state, occupational and personal pensions and at the relevant provisions in the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013
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Research Briefing
Brexit: parliamentary scrutiny of UK replacement treaties
The UK is party to hundreds of international treaties with third states or organisations, many of them on trade, by virtue of its EU membership. To continue to benefit from the advantages of these agreements, the Government has been seeking to replace them in a UK bilateral context. The Government has prioritised trade agreements, but has also agreed replacement agreements covering aviation services and safety, and road transport, for example. But Parliament is not happy about the way the Government is carrying out this 'treaty continuity programme' and Committees in both Houses have called for a greater scrutiny role for Parliament in treaty-making processes. This paper looks at what has been going on and what Parliamentary Committees in both Houses have asked for. It includes a table showing where we are with scrutiny of these treaties and what sort of scrutiny they have undergone, both in their precursor form as EU treaties and currently as replacement treaties.
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Research Briefing
Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill 2017-19 [HL]
In early July the Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords. The Bill provides a legislative framework for more court proceedings to be conducted by electronic means. The Bill's second reading is expected in the House of Commons on Tuesday 16 July.
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Research Briefing
Commons Library analysis: Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-19
This Commons Library briefing paper deals with the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-19 which would remove the legal requirement to make allegations about spousal conduct or to have lived separately for up to five years in order to divorce or dissolve a civil partnership. A separate Commons Library briefing paper deals with the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill[HL] 2019-21 (CBP 8697)
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Research Briefing
Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-19: Committee Stage Report
This Commons Library briefing paper provides background information for Commons Report stage of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill 2017-19
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Research Briefing
The UK’s EU Withdrawal Agreement
This briefing looks in detail at the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated between the EU and UK and finalised on 14 November 2018. It was endorsed by EU Member State leaders at a special European Council summit on 25 November and the UK Prime Minister promoted it in the UK Parliament and around the country. The Agreement was debated at length in Parliament on several occasions and has been voted on three times. But the House of Commons has not endorsed it. A second extension of Article 50 took exit day to 31 October 2019, but once again the UK is faced with the possibility of leaving the EU without an agreement if this agreement or another one is not ratified by the UK and the EU.
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Debate Pack
E-petition 239444 relating to online homophobia
This briefing provides background for the debate on e-petition 239444 relating to online homophobia
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Debate Pack
Discrimination in sport
There will be an Opposition Day debate on discrimination in sport on 12 June 2019.
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Debate Pack
General Debate on Invisible Disabilities and Accessibility Challenges
On Wednesday 5 June 2019 MPs will hold a debate in the Chamber on invisible disabilities and accessibility challenges.
Total results (page 6 of 22)