Research Briefing Archives

Research Briefing

The Philippines: September 2016 update

Monday, 19 September, 2016

President Rodrigo Duterte took office at the end of June 2016 pledging to take a tough approach to criminals. Since then, over 3,000 people have been killed in his controversial 'war on drugs', about two-thirds at the hands of vigilantes. There have been protests both at home and abroad. Duterte is also pushing ahead with peace efforts in the south, where there has been a long-running insurgency, but observers worry that the new president could prove to be a 'loose cannon'.
Research Briefing

Boundary Review: missing voters, missing seats?

Wednesday, 14 September, 2016

The four Boundary Commissions have started to publish their initial proposals for new constituency boundaries. The new boundaries will be based on the electorate of 1 December 2015. Yet by June 2016 (at the time of the EU referendum), the number of registered voters had increased by 1.75 million. Would using the June electorate change
- Research Briefing
- Elections
Research Briefing

Referendum campaign literature

Wednesday, 14 September, 2016

During the EU referendum campaign there were complaints about the claims put forward in campaign literature and calls for an independent body to oversee the truthfulness of claims made during political campaigns. This Briefing Paper looks at the regulation of campaign literature in the UK and in other countries.
- Research Briefing
- Elections
Research Briefing

Unemployment by Constituency, September 2016

Wednesday, 14 September, 2016

This paper contains claimant count figures for parliamentary constituencies, as well as a summary of the latest labour market statistics for the UK as a whole.
Research Briefing

2018 Review of Parliamentary constituencies: Wales

Tuesday, 13 September, 2016

The seventh general review of Parliamentary constituencies, the 2018 Review, is currently underway. This paper summarises the proposals for Wales.
Research Briefing

Taser use in England and Wales

Monday, 12 September, 2016

This Commons Library briefing paper details the introduction of the Taser to policing in England and Wales, sets out the training and operational guidance provided to officers issued with the weapon and summarises the controversy around its use.
Research Briefing

Housing Benefit: do awards cover rents?

Friday, 09 September, 2016

Local Housing Allowance (LHA), the maximum amount of Housing Benefit private renters are able to receive, is now capped and “frozen” until 2020. This means that over the next Parliament LHA rates will remain static while rents continue to rise or fall with changes in the market. Concerns have been raised that this could result
- Research Briefing
- Benefits policy
Research Briefing

Economic Update: September 2016

Friday, 09 September, 2016

Some good news, but don’t get carried away. A series of positive economic data in August and early September appeared to defy predictions of immediate Brexit gloom. Nevertheless, a lack of hard data on the state of the UK economy post-EU referendum coupled with forecasts for weak economic growth means caution is very much still
- Research Briefing
- Economic situation
Research Briefing

Commons Library analysis of the Digital Economy Bill

Friday, 09 September, 2016

The Digital Economy Bill 2016-17 [Bill no. 45] was published on 6 July 2016 and its First Reading in the House of Commons took place that day. Its Second Reading is scheduled for Tuesday 13 September 2016.
Research Briefing

Wales Bill 2016-17: Committee Stage Report

Friday, 09 September, 2016

This paper covers the committee stage of the Wales Bill 2016-17 in the House of Commons.
- Research Briefing
- Devolution
Research Briefing

Apprenticeship funding: where are we now?

Thursday, 08 September, 2016

The past ten months have seen major changes to English apprenticeships policy– not least to its funding system which is going through an overhaul. The apprenticeship levy and the latest Department for Education’s Proposals for apprenticeship funding in England from May 2017 are key to the new funding regime. These proposals are part of a
- Research Briefing
- Work and incomes
Research Briefing

Referral fees in personal injury cases

Thursday, 08 September, 2016

The Commons Library has published a briefing paper which deals with the treatment of the payment or receipt of referral fees in personal injury cases in England and Wales and in Scotland.
Research Briefing

Scamming and its effect on vulnerable individuals

Tuesday, 06 September, 2016

A backbench business debate is being held on 8 September 2016 on scamming and its effect on vulnerable individuals. This paper explores the different types of scams, regulation and what can be done to combat this threat.
Research Briefing

Economic Indicators, September 2016

Tuesday, 06 September, 2016

Analysis of the latest UK and international economic indicators.
Research Briefing

Childhood obesity: an inequality issue

Monday, 05 September, 2016

The government published Childhood Obesity: a plan for action this week, detailing how they will ‘reduce childhood obesity by supporting healthier choices’. The stats on levels of obesity in children paint mixed but worrying picture. 9% of children in England are obese by the ages of 4-5 and levels of obesity stay high as they
- Research Briefing
- Health services

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