Research Briefing
Direct taxes: rates and allowances 2015/16
This paper sets out the main changes to direct tax rates and allowances announced in the Budget on 18 March 2015, for the tax year 2015/16.
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Research Briefing
Higher education tuition fees in England – party policies 2015
This note give an overview of the post-2012 higher education tuition fee system, it sets out the different fee arrangement across the UK and outlines the policies of political parties with regard to tuition fees.
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Research Briefing
Role of the Lord Chancellor
History and development of the office of Lord Chancellor. This note summarises the history and development of the office of Lord Chancellor and also examines the changes that were made to the role following the enactment of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.
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Research Briefing
Election in Israel
A parliamentary election took place in Israel on 17 March 2015. No party won an overall majority, but Likud – the centre-right party of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu – remained the largest party. This note provides a summary of developments.
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Research Briefing
Re-election of the Speaker after a general election
Proposals to change the procedure if the re-election of a Speaker is challenged after a general election are to be considered on 26 March 2015.
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Research Briefing
The Osmotherly Rules
The Osmotherly Rules (the Rules) give guidance on the role of civil servants and other Government officials appearing before select committees. The purpose of the Rules is to assist staff in Government departments dealing with requests for information from select committees, including: the provision of evidence, handling select committee reports and drafting responses to such reports.
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Research Briefing
Immigration and asylum: changes made by the Coalition Government 2010 – 2015
David Cameron described the Government’s immigration policy objective as “good immigration, not mass immigration.” The Government wanted to attract the ‘brightest and best’ migrants who were deemed most beneficial to the UK. It also wanted to reduce overall net migration levels from the hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands by the end of the 2010 - 2015 parliament, by minimising opportunities for abuse and being more selective about the criteria for entry.
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Research Briefing
The parties’ schools policy commitments 2015
This note collates the public commitments regarding schools policy in England made by the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP and Green Party.
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Research Briefing
Civil war in South Sudan: a primer
South Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal civil war since December 2013. On one side is the government of President Salva Kiir Mayadit (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement) and its’ allies; on the other side is former Vice-President Riek Machar (Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition) and his backers. As some observers warned might happen at the time, the euphoria and optimism that attended South Sudan’s independence in July 2011 has quickly been shattered. At least 2.5 million people currently face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. 1.5 million people have been internally displaced. An estimated 60,000 people have been killed. With the price of oil down and oil exports in decline, the country’s economy is in a parlous condition. Peace talks have so far failed and observers now fear a return to all-out conflict.
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Research Briefing
Further proposals to restrict migrants’ access to benefits
In his keynote speech on immigration on 28 November 2014, the Prime Minister set out plans to secure agreement on changes to European law on free movement of persons in order to allow the UK to, among other things, deny EEA migrants in-work benefits for four years and prevent Child Benefit being paid for children living abroad. Proposals to further restrict EEA migrants’ access to benefits have also been put forward by Labour and by the Liberal Democrats.
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Research Briefing
Judicial complaints
This note provides details of the procedures to follow where an individual has a complaint about a judge’s conduct or behaviour.
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Research Briefing
Attempts to Amend Crown Succession
Private Members’ Bills since that have sought to amend crown succession prior to the Government's Succession to the Crown Bill
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Research Briefing
ISIS and the sectarian conflict in the Middle East
The radical jihadis of ISIS still control large areas of Iraq and Syria, despite the international campaign against them. But who are they really?
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Research Briefing
The Parties’ housing policy commitments 2015
This note collates public commitments made on housing policy by the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, UKIP and the Green Party ahead of the publication of the parties' 2015 election manifestos.
Total results (page 288 of 560)