The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Libya, as the country splits among warring factions. The country now has two parliaments and its internationally-accepted government is based in a hotel in Tobruk.
A selected timeline of events and significant publications leading up to the referendum in Scotland on 18 September 2014 and to some of the planned follow-up events.
The UK Government would like to opt back into 35 measures in the area of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters adopted before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, but will the other EU Member States agree unanimously on this? Will the Government manage to get approval for the draft regulations published on 6 November which complete the transposition of 11 of the 35 opt-back-ins?
This is a report of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Childcare Payments Bill. The Bill would introduce a new tax-free childcare scheme to support eligible parents with childcare costs. Under the scheme, the Government would provide 20 per cent support on costs up to £10,000 per year for each child via an online account. The Government would top up any payments made into the account, capped at a maximum Government contribution of £2,000 a year for each child.
The Charity Commission’s powers and its role in regulating charities have come under increased scrutiny with some high profile cases and the publication of a number of recent reports. There has been particular criticism of the compliance and enforcement work of the Charity Commission, including its perceived reluctance to use the powers available, its perceived lack of focus on dealing with serious wrongdoing, and its use of its reduced resources. The powers and performance of the Charity Commission have also been considered in the context of combatting extremism and tax avoidance.
This article, published in October 2011, provides a summary of the Ministry of Justice statistical updates produced throughout August and September on those brought before the courts, for offences relating to this public disorder. In October 2011 more detailed statistical publications were released relating to the offences committed and offenders prosecuted.
New students starting higher education in England in 2012 faced higher tuition fees, potentially higher loan interest rates and longer loan durations. The Government has also introducing a new ‘core and margin’ model which introduces an element of competition into the allocation of student numbers between institutions. The impact of these changes on potential students and student numbers is seen as one key test of the success of the Government’s reforms to higher education in England. The number of new fell in 2012 as it did when fees were first introduced and then raised in the past. Any long term change to student numbers would also have important implications for the financial health of the higher education sector and the UK economy.
CAP reform 2014-2020 has been agreed and is now being implemented. This paper sets out stakeholder reaction and key implementation decisions for the four countries of the UK, and also of Ireland. It updates the November 2013 version which was prepared as government consultations on implementation were still on-going.
The way GDP is measured has changed, with revised figures showing the 2008-2009 recession being slightly less severe than previously thought and the economic recovery stronger.