• Research Briefing

    Metal theft

    This note looks at the increasingly high-profile problem of metal theft, which the Association of Chief Police Officers has estimated costs the UK economy approximately £770 million per year. There have been calls to reform the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 to tighten up controls on scrap metal dealers. In January 2012 the Government announced that it would be amending the 1964 Act to introduce a ban on cash payments for scrap metal and unlimited fines for relevant offences under the Act. These changes are set out in sections 145 to 147 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. In June 2012 Richard Ottaway introduced a Private Member's Bill that proposes to repeal the 1964 Act altogether and replace it with a new regulatory regime. The Bill has Government support.

  • Research Briefing

    Higgs Boson

    Scientists at CERN have announced the discovery of a new subatomic particle, thought to be the Higgs Boson.

  • Research Briefing

    Sheep

    this note covers issues of importance to sheep farming, including welfare, electronic tagging and diseases

  • Research Briefing

    Pigs

    This note covers problems faced by pig farmers, partly because of stricter welfare legislation in the UK than elsewhere in the European Union

  • Research Briefing

    The draft Energy Bill 2012

    The 2012 Queen’s Speech announced that "My Government will propose reform of the electricity market to deliver secure, clean and affordable electricity and ensure prices are fair”. This will be done through the latest in a line of Energy Bills, published in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny on 22 May 2012.

  • Research Briefing

    The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme

    The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is a mandatory carbon emissions reporting and trading scheme for large public and private sector organisations. It is currently under review and if it cannot be simplified to produce “very significant administrative savings” for businesses, then it will be replaced by “an alternative environmental tax” on which the Government will consult in Autumn 2012.

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