Research Briefing Archives

Research Briefing

Time limiting of contributory Employment and Support Allowance from 30 April 2012

Wednesday, 25 April, 2012

The 2010 Spending Review announced that contributory Employment and Support Allowance for claimants in the Work-Related Activity Group would be limited to 12 months. The time limit takes effect on 30 April 2012. For some claimants, benefit will stop immediately. All recipients of contributory ESA in the WRAG, including Incapacity Benefit claimants “migrated” to ESA on reassessment, will be affected by the time limit. Savings of almost £1.5 billion a year are expected by 2015-16.
Research Briefing

European Regional Development Fund

Wednesday, 25 April, 2012

This note explains how funding from the European Regional Development Fund is allocated across regions in England and sets out current progress on spending the funds. It also provides information on the 2014-2020 funding round.
Research Briefing

Buses: policy and administration

Wednesday, 25 April, 2012

This note outlines the overall policy approach of the present and previous governments towards bus policy in England. It includes separate information about competition in local bus markets, the role of the traffic commissioners and licensing. There are separate notes on bus funding and grants, concessionary fares and franchising.
Research Briefing

Lending to business

Wednesday, 25 April, 2012

This note sets out statistics available on lending to business and discusses recent trends in the data.
Research Briefing

UK-Brazil trade statistics

Tuesday, 24 April, 2012

This short note looks at the available UK/Brazil trade statistics
Research Briefing

Travel law: proposed changes to ATOL

Tuesday, 24 April, 2012

This note looks at the ATOL scheme, focusing on the weaknesses of the ATOL model and the deficit funding of the ATTF. It considers in detail the proposed ATOL reforms contained in secondary and primary legislation. Finally, it also considers EU initiatives for reform to travel law.
- Research Briefing
- Consumers
Research Briefing

The Chagos Islanders

Friday, 20 April, 2012

This note provides brief background about the situation of the Chagos Islanders, paying particular attention to the legal dispute over whether they have the right of return and the recent establishment of a Marine Protection Area around the British Indian Ocean Territory (with the exception of Diego Garcia). The note is not comprehensive in its coverage and will not be automatically updated.
Research Briefing

Civil Aviation Bill: Committee Stage Report

Friday, 20 April, 2012

This is a report on the Public Bill Committee Stage of the Civil Aviation Bill.
- Research Briefing
- Aviation
Research Briefing

The IMF’s resources

Thursday, 19 April, 2012

The IMF’s resources come from quotas contributed by each of its 187 Member States (around £234bn in total) and from standing credit arrangements with certain industrialised and emerging economies (currently around £215bn).
Research Briefing

Financial Services Bill: Committee Stage Report

Thursday, 19 April, 2012

The focus of this Bill is to establish a new framework for financial regulation in the United Kingdom.
- Research Briefing
- Finance
Research Briefing

Buses: franchising

Thursday, 19 April, 2012

This note provides information about the policy of bus franchising, how it operates in London and the legislation that exists in England to set up ‘Quality Contracts’, a form of franchising. It also provides information on statutory Quality Partnerships.
Research Briefing

Unemployment by Constituency, April 2012

Wednesday, 18 April, 2012

This paper contains labour market figures for parliamentary constituencies, as well as a summary of the latest national and regional statistics.
Research Briefing

Queen’s Speech 2012

Wednesday, 18 April, 2012

This Standard Note gathers together speculation on the issues that might be included in the forthcoming Queen’s Speech.
Research Briefing

The ‘conservatory tax’

Tuesday, 17 April, 2012

Changes to the building regulations are currently being consulted upon. These have led to press reports of a ‘conservatory tax’ of up to 10% on certain home improvements, through required associated energy efficiency measures. Reports have also said that people will be forced to take out green deal loans if they cannot afford to fund these improvements.
Research Briefing

Child Benefit for higher income families

Monday, 16 April, 2012

At the Conservative Party conference in October 2010 the Chancellor announced that from January 2013 Child Benefit would be withdrawn from families with a higher rate taxpayer. Revised proposals were set out in Budget 2012 under which Child Benefit will instead be clawed back gradually from families with a taxpayer with an income between £50,000 and £60,000 a year.

Total results (page 357 of 560)