Research Briefing
Disillusioned with the US-led peace process, Palestinian leaders are seeking a UN resolution in September 2011 in favour of Palestinian statehood. The political implications of such a resolution are likely to be bigger than its legal ones. But despite the momentum gained by the Palestinian proposal, it is possible that external and internal opposition could delay the initiative.
Research Briefing
This note looks at the possible roles of the police and armed forces in controlling riots. A separate Library standard note 6048 deals with compensation and insurance for those affected by riots.
Research Briefing
This note outlines procedures and legislation surrounding insurance claims for damage caused by rioting.
Research Briefing
This note provides background on the old Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy system and considers some of the issues associated with it up to its abolition in April 2012. This note will not be updated – information on the self-financing regime can be found in Library note SN/SP/6776 Local housing authorities - the self-financing regime: progress and issues. A further paper, CB8963, A new era of social rented housing in England? (2020) considers prospects for social rented housing following the lifting of the HRA borrowing caps in 2018.
Research Briefing
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries.
Research Briefing
This bibliographical note gathers together a selection of press articles and official and civil society sources of information about the issues facing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in sub-Saharan Africa today.
Research Briefing
This note summarises some reports claiming that fish are being caught at an unsustainable rate, and describes the policy response.
Research Briefing
This note looks at the internal politics of Iran and, in particular, the recent split in the conservative camp between supporters of Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei and the President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Research Briefing
Under the Furnished Holiday Letting (FHL) rules, income from furnished holiday accommodation may be treated in the same way as trading income for tax purposes. In 2009 the Labour Government proposed to repeal these rules from 2011, rather than extend their scope to property held across the EU, to ensure compliance with EU law. In the 2011 Budget the Coalition Government confirmed a number of changes to ensure the relief was complaint with EU law while mitigating its cost to the Exchequer.
Research Briefing
Shortly after taking office, US President Obama gave negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme one year to produce results, promising to push for a new set of United Nations sanctions if there was no progress. The E3+3 countries, France, Germany and the United Kingdom plus China, Russia and the United States reached agreement on a fourth round of sanctions in June 2010 This note looks at Iran’s nuclear programme, the effects of UN, US and EU sanctions and possible alternative approaches to the problem.
Research Briefing
This standard note summarises the Lords stages of the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill
Research Briefing
In 1990 a new tax relief for private medical insurance, paid for those aged 60 and over, was introduced. In 1997 the then Labour Government abolished this relief on the grounds of cost, and the view that it had failed to encourage take-up. This note discusses the short life of this tax relief, and recent debate as to whether it should be reintroduced.
Research Briefing
The Independent Report into the Structure and Management of the MOD was published by the Defence Reform Unit on 27 June 2011. That report makes 53 recommendations on the reorganisation of the MOD.
Research Briefing
At Turkey’s general elections on 12 June 2011, the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won nearly 50% of the overall vote. This was the first time that a ruling party in Turkey has increased its vote in a third term. In the medium term its biggest challenges will be drafting a new constitution, stabilising the economy, and negotiating changing regional relationships, but in the short term it needs to diffuse a crisis over MPs boycotting parliament.
Research Briefing
Approximately 200,000 kilometres of privately owned sewers and lateral drains in England will be transferred to water and sewerage companies from 1 October 2011. This transfer will help to address many of the problems associated with these sewers.
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