Research Briefing Archives

Research Briefing

People claiming unemployment benefits by constituency, June 2018

Tuesday, 17 July, 2018

This paper provides figures for the number of people claiming unemployment benefits (the “claimant count”) by parliamentary constituency, as well as a summary of the latest labour market statistics for the UK as a whole. The UK employment rate was at a record high of 75.7% in March-May 2018, the inactivity rate was at a joint record low of 21.0% and the unemployment rate was at its joint lowest level since 1975 at 4.2%. Average weekly pay grew slightly faster than prices, both including and excluding bonuses.
Research Briefing

Brexit: Customs and Regulatory Arrangements

Friday, 13 July, 2018

This paper considers the proposals the UK Government has made to satisfy the simultaneous objectives to leave the EU Customs Union, but have a cooperative ‘customs arrangement’ following Brexit; and to leave the Single Market, but maintain trade that is ‘as frictionless as possible’ following Brexit. These proposals have to navigate the EU’s ‘red lines’, primarily the ones that preclude sectoral agreements (or ‘cherry-picking’), and that guarantee an invisible land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Research Briefing

Housing supply for local authorities (England)

Thursday, 12 July, 2018

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- Research Briefing
Research Briefing

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Tuesday, 10 July, 2018

This House of Commons Library briefing explains what Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are, their purpose and the process which is followed in order to authorise a deprivation of liberty. The paper outlines the Law Commission's recommendations to abolish DoLS and replace them with a new system called the Liberty Protection Safeguards. The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 3 July 2018. The Bill broadly follows the Law Commission’s recommendations, with some changes.
Research Briefing

ISIS/Daesh: what now for the military campaign in Iraq and Syria?

Tuesday, 10 July, 2018

ISIS has lost 98% of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria and in December 2017 the Iraqi government declared military victory over ISIS. The situation in Syria remains complex with operations to defeat ISIS complicated by the ongoing Syrian civil conflict. The Coalition has committed to maintaining its military commitments in Iraq and Syria. While tracking down remaining ISIS fighters remains a priority, the military campaign has, however, steadily begun to transition towards stabilisation, capacity building and training.
Research Briefing

Nigeria: July 2018 update

Tuesday, 10 July, 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari is now into the final year of his four-year term as president of Nigeria. Presidential and parliamentary elections must be held in 2019. Despite concerns in many quarters about his health, Buhari is standing again.
Research Briefing

The UK’s points-based system for immigration

Monday, 09 July, 2018

Recent reforms to the UK's points-based system for work and study immigration have excluded doctors and nurses from the annual limit on the number of skilled worker visa sponsorships available. Wider-reaching changes to the system are expected when the Government implements a post-Brexit immigration policy.
- Research Briefing
- Immigration
Research Briefing

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: scrutiny of secondary legislation (Schedule 7)

Monday, 09 July, 2018

This briefing paper reviews how proposals for negative statutory instruments made under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 will be scrutinised in the House of Commons.
Research Briefing

An early history of British race relations legislation

Monday, 09 July, 2018

This Library paper has been written to support the House of Commons ‘artist in residence’ project First Waves: Exploring the impact of race relations legislation in the UK. Scarlett Crawford has been commissioned by the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art in the House of Commons to explore the impact of the 1965, 1968 and 1976 Race Relations Acts. This paper provides information on all three of these Acts. It explains their main provisions and looks at how they attempted to address racial discrimination in the UK.
Research Briefing

Brexit and European Citizenship

Friday, 06 July, 2018

When the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 UK nationals will lose their right to EU citizenship. Although the draft withdrawal agreement contains provisions that will guarantee certain citizens' rights for UK citizens living in another EU Member State and for EU citizens living in the UK, they will not guarantee EU citizenship status. There have been proposals for a form of 'associate' EU citizenship, which does not at present exist and is not being discussed by the Brexit negotiators. This paper looks at the debate and at public support for such proposals.
Research Briefing

The Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill

Friday, 06 July, 2018

This briefing paper has been prepared in advance of the debate in the House Commons on Monday 16 July on the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill - sometimes referred to as the Customs Bill.
Research Briefing

Accountable Care Organisations

Friday, 06 July, 2018

This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the introduction of Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs) in the NHS in England, the development of the ACO policy, and comment on its potential impact.
- Research Briefing
- Health services
Research Briefing

Defined Benefit Pension Schemes – 2018 White Paper

Friday, 06 July, 2018

Looks at the issues discussed in Defined Benefit Pension Schemes White Paper published on 19 March 2018
- Research Briefing
- Pensions
Research Briefing

Fleet Solid Support Ships

Friday, 06 July, 2018

The Government’s procurement plans for up to three new support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are facing opposition from Labour, the SNP and trade unions.
Research Briefing

Carillion pension schemes

Thursday, 05 July, 2018

Looks at the debate around the Carillion pension schemes
- Research Briefing

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