Research Briefing Archives

Research Briefing

Could the Withdrawal Agreement be terminated under international law?

Tuesday, 19 March, 2019

Could the UK unilaterally terminate the Withdrawal Agreement under international law if the Irish backstop, which the Agreement says is intended to be temporary, became permanent? An amendment from Sir Edward Leigh to the Government’s motion in December 2018 on approving the Withdrawal Agreement called for an assurance from the Government that it would terminate the Withdrawal Agreement if the EU refused to agree to removing the backstop at the end of 2021. This note looks at provisions in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties for terminating and denouncing treaties, and arguments about whether these might apply to the Withdrawal Agreement if the Irish backstop were to persist.
Research Briefing

Nuisance Calls: Unsolicited sales and marketing, and silent calls

Friday, 15 March, 2019

This House of Commons Library Briefing Paper sets out the regulations which seek to address nuisance calls, including unsolicited sales and marketing calls, and the main ways in which individuals can try to reduce the number of unwanted calls or texts they receive.
Research Briefing

Returning terrorist fighters

Friday, 15 March, 2019

This paper looks at the possible options for dealing with returning terrorist fighters
Research Briefing

Tax relief on landlords’ finance costs: s24 of Finance (No.2) Act 2015

Friday, 15 March, 2019

This note looks at the way that landlords have been able to offset their finance costs against tax, the changes made to these rules by s24 of Finance (No.2) Act 2015, and the debate there has been over their likely impact. It looks briefly at the introduction from April 2016 of higher rates of stamp duty on the purchase of additional residential properties, as the Government has explicitly linked these two measures as being targeted to help first time buyers.
- Research Briefing
- Tax
Research Briefing

Confidence motions

Thursday, 14 March, 2019

The Government must be able to command the confidence of the House of Commons. Losing a confidence vote would show that the Government has lost confidence.
Research Briefing

The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc) Bill: Lords Amendments

Thursday, 14 March, 2019

Consideration by the House of Commons of Lords amendments to the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill is due to take place on 15 March 2019
Research Briefing

The future of civil partnership

Thursday, 14 March, 2019

This Commons Library briefing paper considers the extension of civil partnership to opposite sex couples
Research Briefing

Spring Statement 2019: A summary

Wednesday, 13 March, 2019

A summary of Spring Statement 2019 and the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecasts for the economy and public finances.
Research Briefing

The ‘Strasbourg package’

Wednesday, 13 March, 2019

On 11 March 2019 the UK government and the EU agreed a series of 'interpretations' and 'clarifications' of the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration they negotiated in November 2018. What is in the published documents? What are their effects? To what extent do they provide legally binding guarantees? How did they change the Attorney General's legal opinion of the Withdrawal Agreement? What was the result of the second 'meaningful vote' held in the House of Commons on the updated 'package', and what happens next?
Research Briefing

2019: a tough year for Tunisia?

Wednesday, 13 March, 2019

Tunisia is to hold parliamentary and presidential elections towards the end of 2019. The elections come at a very difficult time; some observers fear that Tunisia’s experiment with democracy is under threat.
Research Briefing

Economic Indicators, Spring Statement 2019 Edition

Tuesday, 12 March, 2019

Analysis of the latest UK and international economic indicators
Research Briefing

Alternative Provision Education in England

Tuesday, 12 March, 2019

This briefing paper provides information about Alternative Provision (AP) education in England. In particular information about AP providers in England, the pupils that attend them, funding statistics, and the current issues affecting the sector.
Research Briefing

Playing music in public

Monday, 11 March, 2019

This Library Paper gives a very brief overview of when an organisation needs a licence to play music in public.
- Research Briefing
- Business
Research Briefing

Bankruptcy and the treatment of pensions

Thursday, 07 March, 2019

This note provides an outline of the treatment of pensions on bankruptcy.
- Research Briefing
- Business
Research Briefing

Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) [HL], Bill 294 of 2017-19: Briefing for Report Stage

Thursday, 07 March, 2019

This House of Commons Library briefing paper provides an overview and background to the Private Member's Bill: Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) [HL], Bill 294 of 2017-19. The Bill has completed its parliamentary stages in the House of Lords and is now passing through the House of Commons.

Total results (page 204 of 558)