Research Briefing
The UK’s economy in December
In the three months to October, there were 32.5 million people in employment, an increase of 400,000 on a year earlier.
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Research Briefing
Committee on Standards in Public Life
This note sets out the background to the creation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1994 and provides details of its recent work. The note looks at its constitutional position and relationship to Parliament.
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Research Briefing
Economic Indicators, December 2018
Analysis of the latest UK and international economic indicators
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Research Briefing
The European Economic Area
This briefing paper outlines the institutional structure of the EEA, its pros and cons and the debate over withdrawal from the EEA.
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Research Briefing
National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and the self-employed
This paper looks at the way in which the self-employed are treated for the purposes of National Insurance, in the context of proposals made in the 2015 Budget to scrap Class 2 National Insurance contributions (NICs), and proposals in the Spring 2017 Budget to increase the rate of Class 4 NICs. In the latter case, the Government cancelled its plans a few days after the Budget, and in the former case announced in September 2018 that it would not proceed with the abolition of Class 2 NICs during this Parliament.
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Research Briefing
The Modernising Defence Programme
This Commons Library briefing paper examines the Modernising Defence Programme (MDP) published by the Ministry of Defence in December 2018.
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Research Briefing
New homelessness statistics: What do they tell us?
We explore the latest homelessness statistics in England from MHCLG.
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Research Briefing
A second Brexit referendum? The rules explained
The Prime Minster has repeatedly ruled out holding a second referendum on Brexit. This Insight briefly sets out what would be required for a second referendum to be held.
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Research Briefing
Actions against bank account scams
Push payment scams are a growing form of financial fraud. The industry, financial regulators and the police are working together to try to reduce its impact. This note outlines some current initiatives.
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Research Briefing
No confidence motions and early general elections
It is a core convention of the UK constitution that the Government must be able to command the confidence of the House of Commons. This convention governs both the appointment and resignation of Prime Ministers. The traditional position was that a Government that lost a confidence vote would resign in favour of an alternative administration,
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Research Briefing
Student loans: ONS changes accounting rules
Last week we took a look at student loans and the Government’s deficit. Now the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced that it will change how these loans are recorded. The accounting change, which aims to ensure that the treatment of the loans better reflects how they work in practice, could increase the Government’s deficit
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Research Briefing
The decline of ATMs?
How successful has the industry been in maintaining provision of free cash across the country, including areas with high deprivation?
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Research Briefing
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill 2017-19
This Commons Library briefing paper provides the background to Karen Buck's Private Members' Bill on housing fitness, and explains its provisions and amendments made at Committee Stage. The Bill is seeking to require that residential rented dwellings in England are fit for human habitation at the start of the tenancy and thereafter.
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Research Briefing
Air passenger duty and regional airports
Air passenger duty (APD) is charged on all passenger flights from UK airports. Some regional airports have campaigned for lower rates of tax being charged on flights from the regions.
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Research Briefing
The “meaningful vote” deferred: What now?
Given that the Prime Minister is now seeking further “assurances”, it is not clear whether the Government believes that it still has “political agreement” with the EU
Total results (page 261 of 638)