Immigration Archives

Research Briefing

Ending of transitional restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanian workers

Monday, 25 November, 2013

Romania and Bulgaria (the ‘A2’ states) joined the EU on 1 January 2007. Their EU accession treaty permitted other Member States to impose transitional restrictions on the free movement rights of Bulgarian and Romanian ‘workers’ for up to seven years after accession, in order to guard against disruption of their labour markets. All Member States must lift restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers by the end of 2013.
Research Briefing

Reintroducing exit checks on passengers departing the UK

Friday, 01 November, 2013

The Coalition Agreement included a commitment to reintroduce exit checks by the end of this Parliament in 2015. Home Office Ministers and senior officials have confirmed their belief that the deadline will be met.
- Research Briefing
- Immigration
Research Briefing

Immigration Bill

Thursday, 17 October, 2013

The Immigration Bill would significantly reduce migrants’ rights of appeal; restrict access to services including private rented accommodation, bank accounts and NHS services by reference to immigration status; establish new arrangements for investigating sham marriages and examining persons departing the UK; and make various other changes related to immigration controls.
Research Briefing

Citizenship (Armed Forces) Bill

Wednesday, 11 September, 2013

This briefing has been prepared for the Second Reading debate on the Citizenship (Armed Forces) Bill on 13 September 2013. The Bill, which was published on 3 September 2013, is sponsored by Jonathan Lord MP, who came third in the 2013-14 ballot for Private Members’ Bills.
Research Briefing

Crime and Courts Bill [HL]: Committee Stage Report

Friday, 08 March, 2013

The Crime and Courts Bill would, amongst other things, establish a new National Crime Agency, change the law on self defence for householders defending themselves from intruders, make changes to community sentences and immigration appeal rights and introduce a new drug driving offence. The Government made a number of substantive amendments in Committee, including on bailiffs, proceeds of crime and extradition.
Research Briefing

Crime and Courts Bill [HL]

Wednesday, 09 January, 2013

The Bill would establish a new National Crime Agency and make a number of changes to the administration of justice. It also deals with the law of self defence as it applies to householders defending themselves from intruders; makes changes to community sentences and to immigration appeal rights; and introduces a new drug driving offence.
- Research Briefing
- Civil law
- Courts
- Crime
- Immigration
- Justice
Research Briefing

European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill [Bill 76 of 2012-13]

Thursday, 01 November, 2012

Croatia is expected to join the EU in July 2013. This Bill would allow the UK to ratify Croatia’s accession treaty and would also cover the Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty put forward by the Irish Government.
Research Briefing

HIV and AIDS statistics: UK

Thursday, 25 October, 2012

HIV and AIDS statistics: UK. By Rachael Harker. SN/SG/2210. This note summarises recent statistics on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and also includes a POSTBOX on HIV Infection and Treatment. Section 1 describes how the numbers of those diagnosed with and those dying from HIV/AIDS in the UK have changed over time. The characteristics that put people most at risk of HIV are considered in Sections 2 and the manner and place in which individuals with HIV acquire their infection in examined in Section 3. The general prevalence of HIV, and levels of awareness of infection, are examined in Section 4. International statistics on HIV and AIDS are briefly considered in Section 5, while Section 6 looks at public knowledge and attitudes to the disease.
Research Briefing

EEA nationals: the ‘right to reside’ requirement for benefits

Monday, 05 December, 2011

To access most social security benefits and tax credits, a EEA national has to have a 'right to reside' in the UK. Broadly speaking, this means they must be economically active. The European Commission has stared infingement proceedings agains the UK on the basis that the test discriminates against non-UK nationals from other Member States, but the UK Government has pedged to fight any challenge.
Research Briefing

Asylum: Claims based on sexual identity

Tuesday, 05 July, 2011

The Coalition Agreement pledged not to remove asylum seekers from the UK if they are at proven risk of persecution due to their sexual orientation or gender identification. The UKBA has since enhanced its guidance and training for asylum caseworkers on how to handle these types of asylum claim, but has been criticised for failing to monitor how the new approach is being implemented.
Research Briefing

Welfare Reform Bill: Committee Stage Report

Wednesday, 08 June, 2011

This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill. It complements Research Papers 11/23 and 11/24, prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
Research Briefing

The Habitual Residence Test

Wednesday, 18 May, 2011

The Habitual Residence Test is applied to people (unless they are exempt categories) who have recently arrived in the country and who make a claim for certain means-tested social security benefits, or seek housing assistance from a local authority.
Research Briefing

Welfare Reform Bill: reform of disability benefits, Housing Benefit, and other measures

Friday, 04 March, 2011

This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons. For information on the provision in the Bill relating to the introduction of Universal Credit, please see the complementary Library Research Paper, 11/24. Besides Universal Credit, the Bill proposes a number of other significant welfare reforms, including replacement of the current Disability Living Allowance, restriction of Housing Benefit entitlement to social housing tenants whose accommodation is larger than they need, time-limiting the payment of contributory Employment and Support Allowance to twelve months, and capping the total amount of benefit that can be claimed.
Research Briefing

Anti-Slavery Day Bill

Wednesday, 03 February, 2010

This note provides an overview of the Anti-Slavery Day Bill, which would require the Secretary of State to designate a date for an annual "Anti-Slavery Day" to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The Bill is a Private Member's Bill introduced by Anthony Steen, founder of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking, who drew sixth place in the 2009-10 ballot for Private Members' Bills.
Research Briefing

Human Trafficking: international responses

Monday, 20 July, 2009

This note examines international responses to human trafficking, including an overview of relevant treaties from organisations such as the UN, the International Labour Organization and the Council of Europe.

Total results (page 22 of 23)