Research Briefing
Energy from waste and incineration
This note looks at the role of energy from waste and incineration.
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Research Briefing
Establishing a right of way
A common issue raised by constituents concerns the options available for formalising a right of way. This note highlights a variety of relevant legal provisions and procedures and provides a summary timeline of the key legislative acts which have shaped the classifications of rights of way since 1949. The options available depend on how the path came to be of use in the first place and if it has any official classification on the Definitive Map for the area. The Definitive Map records all recognised rights of way.
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Research Briefing
Cyber Security – A new national programme
It is widely acknowledged that cyber attacks will increasingly be a key aspect of future warfare and organised crime. This note explains the increasing threat to national security posed by the new "front" of the cyber realm of networked, digital activities (often internet-based) and sets out the Government's response.
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Research Briefing
EU energy policy 2010 and after
This note outlines the development of EU energy policy since the Coalition Government first represented the UK at negotiations.
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Research Briefing
UK Broadband – Policy and Coverage
This note sets out the current situation with regard to broadband access and coverage in the UK and provides an overview of the Government’s broadband policy. It also highlights some examples of regional and local initiatives underway to improve broadband coverage.
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Research Briefing
Air transport statistics
Air Transport Statistics by Tom Rutherford (SN/SG/3760). This note looks in detail at trends in air travel in the UK and the latest official projections, passenger fatality rates; fares, air freight, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. It includes some key facts on aviation's contribution to the economy and employment. Some international comparisons of air transport are also given.
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Research Briefing
Offshore oil and gas industry
The UK offshore oil and gas industry is important to the economy. The industry directly supports around 350,000 jobs and also provides around £8 billion annually to the Treasury in taxation. This note provides a summary of the state of the offshore oil and gas industries and sets out some of the key challenges for the industry.
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Research Briefing
Declaration 25 of the Treaty on European Union: Danish Territories and whaling
Denmark has invoked Declaration No. 25 TEU in support of the whaling activities of its territories, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Denmark’s reliance on this Declaration at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has prevented the EU from presenting a more united stand on whaling issues at the IWC.
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Research Briefing
Energy Bill [HL]
This briefing on the Energy Bill has been prepared for the Second Reading Debate in the House of Commons. The flagship policy in the Bill is the “Green Deal”, a scheme whereby homes would be given finance upfront to make energy efficiency improvements, which would then be paid for by energy bill savings. The Bill would also set up a new obligation on energy companies to help certain groups of consumers with saving energy, who need extra support. The Bill also introduces a range of other measures designed to improve energy efficiency; such as facilitating the roll-out of smart meters, widening access to energy performance certificates and making information on energy bills clearer. The Bill also provides measures designed to help improve energy security, to encourage low carbon generation and to grant additional powers to the Coal Authority to charge for certain services.
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Research Briefing
British Waterways
This note gives the present and previous governments' policies towards British Waterways; information on Defra's 2004-05 policy review of BW in which concluded that it was largely doing a good job; and summarises the pressing issues of recent years - the funding of BW, the effect of cuts to its budget, and its future institutional status.
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Research Briefing
Japanese quake: nuclear power
This note sets out official information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the nuclear power plants in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami, 11 March 2011, with comments about what is happening and why.
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Research Briefing
How UK farmers could reduce greenhouse gas emissions
This note considers ways that farmers might reduce their consisderable emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly methane
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Research Briefing
Eco Towns
This note describes the Government programme of new settlements based on ecological principles, along with comment and criticism.
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Research Briefing
Wreck Removal Convention Bill 2010-11
This note briefly describes the Wreck Removal Convention Bill 2010-11; a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP. The Bill provides measures to enable the United Kingdom to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Removal of Wrecks. It would insert new sections and a Schedule into the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
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Research Briefing
Illegally Logged Timber: EU and UK legislation
This note covers the EU ban on the import of illegal timber and proposals for UK legislation.
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