How many people attended accident and emergency departments in 2013/14? What was the pattern of A&E attendance across the year and across the country? How do NHS trusts compare on key performance metrics such as waiting times?
New interim government chosen after Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was ousted from office. New elections promised for July 2014. The country is plagued by violence and fighting. Fighting is often over the country’s huge oil wealth. Distinction between official security forces and unlawful militias is blurred.
The number of food banks in the UK has increased substantially in recent years. This note explains how food banks work, examines their growth and discusses possible contributing factors and policy developments.
Discusses the Government's consultation on whether to allow a limited 'statutory override' of pension protection arrangements put in place in some denationalised industries in the 1990s
Looks at the provisions to allow councillors access to the Local Government Pension Scheme from 2003 and the removal of this for councillors in England from April 2014
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries. This months articles: Income tax: The higher rate threshold and Who is economically inactive?
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefits for new claims from October 2008. Between 2010 and 2014, around 1.5 million claimants of old-style incapaqcity benefits are being reassessed for ESA. To date, over 1.1 million incapacity benefit claimants have been reassessed, and around a fifth have been found “Fit for Work.”
The Wales Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 20 March 2014; it is due to have its second reading on 31 March 2014. The Bill devolves some tax-raising powers to the National Assembly for Wales. Stamp duty and landfill tax are devolved, while a power is created to reduce income tax by 10 pence in the pound and put a Welsh rate of income tax in its place. The Bill allows these powers over income tax to be devolved only if they are approved in a referendum, the calling of which is subject to parliamentary approval and a two-thirds majority in the Assembly.