Health

This paper tracks the evolving impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the labour market.

This Insight explores the key changes to parliamentary procedures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus timeline sets out the Commons’ response to the pandemic, including key ‘lock down’ dates and changes to the way parliamentarians worked. It includes links to the relevant debates in Hansard, Speaker’s Statements, Procedure Committee reports, the ‘Members’ Guide to hybrid proceedings’ and correspondence on proceedings during the pandemic.

An overview of the development and rollout of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme, the Coronavirus Larger Business Interruption Loans Scheme and the Bounce Back Loans Scheme, including refinements and challenges.

This briefing paper explains measures taken by the Government during the coronavirus outbreak to assist households to retain their homes and enable local authorities to tackle the specific challenges faced by rough sleepers. The paper covers the decision to further extend the stay on eviction hearings in England and Wales to 20 September and new notice provisions introduced on 29 August. The paper is being updated regularly to take account of new developments.

This briefing has been updated following the release of examination results in summer 2020.

This Commons Library briefing paper describes the law enforcing the UK's coronavirus lockdown. It discusses police enforcement of the lockdown and legal commentary of the lockdown rules.

This House of Commons Library briefing paper explores how Universal Credit has coped and changed during the coronavirus crisis so far, and what challenges lie ahead for this benefit.

The Medicines and Medical Devices Bill 2019-21 (Bill 136) was introduced in the Commons on 13 February 2020 and had its Second Reading on 2 March 2020. The Committee Stage ran from 8-10 June 2020 and remaining Commons stages took place on 23 June 2020. The Bill received its Second Reading in the Lords on 2 September 2020.

Social prescribing is a means for GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to non-clinical services in the local community. Such services can include arts or nature-based activities, physical activity classes and counselling. Evaluations of existing social prescribing schemes have reported positive impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing and a reduction in demand on health services.

This Insight looks at the impact the pandemic continues to have on the economy, and discusses some signs of a possible recovery.

In 2019, there were 3.4 million procedures completed involving regulated living animals, which was the lowest annual number since 2007. This note summarises and analyses trends in data, including the growth of universities as the dominant seat of research on animals, the use of different species, and the decline of research for toxicological purposes.

The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme is one of the Government's economic recovery measures to support businesses reopening following the COVID-19 lockdown. The Scheme aims to help protect jobs in the hospitality sector by encouraging consumers to eat out. Questions have been raised about whether the Scheme was introduced before it was clear whether consumer demand was a factor limiting business recovery.