Research Briefing
Effectiveness of select committees
This note introduces the Liaison Committee's review "Select committee effectiveness, resources and powers" (November 2012) and the academic literature on the effectiveness of select committees
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Research Briefing
Regulation of Referendums
This Note sets out the mechanics for holding referendums. It summarises the applicable provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) which regulate publicity and campaigning.
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Research Briefing
EU Staff Salaries
EU staff salaries have been the subject of some criticism in recent months. This Note pulls together the various strands in the EU staff salaries debate.
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Research Briefing
Draft Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people of working age, starting from April 2013. Part 4 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides the framework for PIP, but the detailed rules for the new benefit – including the assessment criteria – are to be set out in regulations.
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Research Briefing
In brief: North Korea and the nuclear issue one year on from the succession
After a failed ballistic missile launch by North Korea in April 2012, an apparently more successful one took place in December, characterized at the time by the regime as a satellite launch. The UN Security Council passed a resolution further toughening sanctions. North Korea has responded to the new sanctions with its customary threatening rhetoric and has announced that it is preparing to conduct a third nuclear weapon test, following on from those undertaken in 2006 and 2009. This note surveys the state of play on the nuclear issue in the light of internal developments in North Korea, where Kim Jon-Un appears to have consolidated his power.
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Research Briefing
Religious discrimination in the workplace: the case of Eweida and Others v the United Kingdom
This note examines the judgment in the case of Eweida and Others v the United Kingdom, handed down by the European Court of Human Rights on 15 January 2013. The case considered the restrictions an employer may justifiably place on workers’ freedom to manifest their religion in the workplace.
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Research Briefing
Unemployment by Constituency, January 2013
This paper contains labour market figures for parliamentary constituencies, as well as a summary of the latest national and regional statistics.
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Research Briefing
State Pension Reform
Looks at proposals to introduce a single-tier flat-rate State Pension
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Research Briefing
Algeria 2013
Instability in North Africa appears to be spreading, as a hostage crisis unfolds in an Algerian gas plant run jointly by BP. The Algerian government seemed to have escaped lightly compared with other North African governments from the Arab uprisings. But the war in neighbouring Libya and increasing unrest in the Sahel region to Algeria’s south have taken their toll. It remains to be seen whether Algeria’s authoritarian regime will be seriously challenged by the twin threats of domestic political unrest and jihadi terrorism.
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Research Briefing
Government policy announcements
The Ministerial Code states that when Parliament is in Session, the most important Ministerial announcements should be made in Parliament. However there have been occasions when, for whatever reason, announcements have not been delivered in Parliament first. Often in such cases the Speaker has made a statement to the House deprecating what has happened and sometimes calling on the minister concerned to account for his/her actions.
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Research Briefing
Antarctic Bill – Committee Stage
The Antarctic Bill is presented as a Private Member’s Bill by Neil Carmichael MP. This note sets out the issues discussed in the Bill Committee on 21 November 2012. These included: the timing of the enactment of the provisions relating to the liability annex, compatibility with existing shipping liability provisions, and the wider issue of the future of the British Antarctic Survey.
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Research Briefing
Constituency casework: tax credits
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on constituency casework: tax credits, from 2013.
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Research Briefing
“Insulting words or behaviour”: Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986
The Government has now announced that it is “not minded” to challenge a Lords amendment to the Crime and Courts Bill which would remove the word “insulting” from section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.
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Research Briefing
Referendum on independence for Scotland
The UK and Scottish Governments reached agreement in October 2012 on the legislation needed to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. This Note discusses the agreement, and the draft “Section 30 Order” by which the UK Parliament will give the Scottish Parliament the power to hold the vote. It also covers the question of the franchise and some reaction to the agreement.
Total results (page 335 of 557)