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Research Briefing
Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill: Lords stages
This note summarises the proceedings of the Lords committee stage of the bill.
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Research Briefing
Autumn Statement 2013: a summary
This note sets out the main measures announced in the 2013 Autumn Statement, presented by the Chancellor on 5 December 2013, and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s updated forecasts for the economy and public finances. There are also overviews of policy announcements on the State Pension age, business rates, the cap on welfare spending and jobs and young people.
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Research Briefing
Intellectual Property Bill [HL]
The Intellectual Property Bill [HL] (Bill 102 of session 2013-14) was introduced into the House of Lords on 9 May 2013, where it received Second Reading on 22 May. It completed its parliamentary stages in the upper house on 30 July and was passed to the Commons, where it received First Reading on 29 August. This Research Paper has been produced to inform the Second Reading debate in the Commons, which is scheduled for 9 December 2013.
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Research Briefing
Buses: grants and subsidies
This note summarises the different types of government financial support for bus services in England, including Bus Service Operators’ Grant, the Green Bus Fund and the Better Bus Areas Fund.
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Research Briefing
The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy: A Fresh Impetus?
The European Council Summit is due to be held on 19-20 December 2013. Among the main issues for debate is the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It will be the first time in five years that EU leaders have comprehensively discussed EU defence policy, amid criticisms that CSDP has lost momentum due to a lack of consensus over its strategic direction, an unwillingness on the part of Member States to commit the necessary resources and the prevailing economic crisis which has seen defence budgets fall across Europe and capabilities cut.
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Research Briefing
Economic Indicators, December 2013
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries. This weeks articles are 'Who’s looking for work? Differences between ILO unemployment and the claimant count' and 'Interesting times: inflation and monetary policy responses'
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Research Briefing
Autumn Statement 2013: background briefing
This note sets out the background to the 2013 Autumn Statement which will take place on Thursday 5 December. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish revised forecasts for the economy and public finances on the same day.
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Research Briefing
The Francis Report (Report of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry) and the Government’s response
This briefing provides background to the public inquiry led by Robert Francis QC into serious failings in care at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust before 2009. It also provides some information on the Government’s initial response to the Francis report, which was published on 6 February 2013.
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Research Briefing
School funding: 2006–2010 policy changes under the Labour Government
This Note provides background to the introduction of the Labour Government's school funding reforms in 2006, details of the reforms (which included the introduction of a ring-fenced schools budget, known as the Dedicated Schools Grant), and the March 2010 consultation on the introduction of a school funding formula.
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Research Briefing
The Royal Navy’s surface fleet: in brief
The Royal Navy is in the middle of an ambitious programme to upgrade its surface fleet with new destroyers, frigates and at least one operational aircraft carrier.
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Research Briefing
Lords stages of the Care Bill: Health Provisions
This note provides an overview of the health provisions in the Care Bill, including developments during the Bill’s Committee and Report Stages in the Lords.
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Research Briefing
Pensions Bill 2013-14 – House of Commons stages
Looks at provisions in the Pensions Bill 2013/14 and will follow its progress through Parliament.
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Research Briefing
Clare’s law: the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme
The Government has announced that, from March 2014, it will introduce a national domestic violence disclosure scheme. This will provide a framework for the police to disclose information about an individual’s history of domestic violence to a new partner.
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Research Briefing
Report Stage and Third Reading of the Defence Reform Bill
Report Stage and Third Several amendments were tabled prior to Report stage, including one which sought to impose an obligation on the Government to report on the viability and cost-effectiveness of the plan to increase the size of the Reserves, which would then be subject to approval by both Houses before the Government could continue with its reform agenda. Despite the support of several Conservative backbenchers, that amendment was, however, defeated on division. A clause seeking to increase the leave entitlement of Reservists was also defeated. Reading of the Defence Reform Bill took place in the House of Commons on 20 November 2013.
Total results (page 318 of 560)