Research Briefing
VAT on construction
This note sets out the VAT treatment of construction work and the UK's discretion in setting VAT rates under EU law, before looking at the debate on harmonising VAT rates on all types of construction work.
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Research Briefing
Religious Education in schools (England)
What is taught in Religious Education in English schools? This briefing sets out the rules in place, as well as issues surrounding the teaching of RE and its curriculum, and information on related topics such as collective worship and the right to withdraw a child from RE classes.
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Research Briefing
Rough sleepers: access to services and support (England)
Rough sleepers are one of the most vulnerable groups in society, many with high levels of complex and interrelated needs. This paper provides an overview of the support and services - including accommodation, health, welfare, training, employment and voter registration - that are available for rough sleepers in England, and the challenges rough sleepers can face in accessing them.
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Research Briefing
Queen’s Speech 2019
This Briefing Paper identifies issues and bills that may appear in the Queen's Speech on 14 October 2019 or require legislation in the forthcoming Session.
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Research Briefing
Afghanistan: elections and cancelled talks
Donald Trump has declared the talks with the Taliban "dead". Where does that leave Afghanistan?
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Research Briefing
Brexit: trade tariffs if there is no deal
This note on tariffs was prepared in 2019 and is now out of date.
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Research Briefing
Energy Smart Meters
Between now and the end of 2020 more than 50 million new energy ‘smart meters’ are being rolled out to 30 million homes and smaller non-domestic sites in Great Britain.
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Research Briefing
Burundi: October 2019 update
Burundi has been in renewed crisis since 2015, when President Jean-Pierre Nkurunziza controversially stood for a third term in office and was re-elected. National elections are due again in 2020. President Nkurunziza has said that he will not stand again, but many are sceptical. There are widespread concerns that the conditions for reasonably free and fair elections next year will not be in place.
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Constituency casework,Research Briefing
Broadband
This article is no longer being updated. For information on broadband rollout and consumer telecoms issues please refer to Gigabit broadband FAQs (2 August 2023) and Mobile and broadband: affordability and consumer protection (28 November 2022)- see Further reading from the House of Commons Library below.
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Research Briefing
The Iran nuclear deal and rising tensions in the Gulf
This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the Iran nuclear agreement (the JCPOA) and recent developments between the US and Iran, following the attack on tankers in the Gulf in June 2019.
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Research Briefing
Local household waste collection FAQs (England and Wales)
This briefing has now been superseded by the constituency casework article, Household waste collection in England and Wales: FAQs.
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Research Briefing
Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) England and Wales
This briefing paper sets out the legal framework in England and Wales for controlling standards in HMOs. It considers the powers available to local authorities to carry out enforcement work.
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Research Briefing
Domestic Abuse Bill 2017-19
This briefing provides an overview of the Domestic Abuse Bill in advance of its second reading on 2 October 2019.
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Research Briefing
Adult social care: the Government’s ongoing policy review and anticipated Green Paper (England)
This House of Commons Library briefing paper considers the Government’s ongoing review of social care policy, in particular how it is funded by individuals and the public sector in England. The May Government said in March 2017 it would publish a consultative Green Paper on this topic, but in July 2019 the Financial Times reported that the new Prime Minister may decide that a White Paper setting out the Government’s new policies should be published instead. A link to the full report in pdf format can be found at the bottom of this page.
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Research Briefing
Economic Indicators, September 2019
Analysis of the latest UK and international economic indicators
Total results (page 197 of 562)