Research Briefing
Obesity
This note sets out the definition and causes of obesity, the health problems caused by obesity, recent government policy on the issue and related statistics.
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Research Briefing
Changes to funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses
The purpose of this note is to outline the current debate on funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses and to summarise changes in policy in this area. ESOL funding has been subject to a series of changes since 2007 when automatic fee remission was removed. This note provides background on these changes, comments on the relevance of proposed changes with regard to the ongoing debate on social cohesion and integration and highlights Parliamentary debate on this issue.
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Research Briefing
British Waterways
This note gives the present and previous governments' policies towards British Waterways; information on Defra's 2004-05 policy review of BW in which concluded that it was largely doing a good job; and summarises the pressing issues of recent years - the funding of BW, the effect of cuts to its budget, and its future institutional status.
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Research Briefing
Japanese quake: nuclear power
This note sets out official information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the nuclear power plants in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami, 11 March 2011, with comments about what is happening and why.
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Research Briefing
The EU’s Acquis Communautaire
This Note looks at the term "Acquis Communautaire", what it means and how the European Court of Justice has interpreted it.
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Research Briefing
London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (Amendment) Bill
This Bill makes a small number of technical amendments to the advertising and trading, ticket touting and traffic management provisions of the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006. These amendments cover the seizure of articles which contravene advertising and trading regulations; the parliamentary procedure and notice periods required when new advertising and trading regulations are introduced; the penalty for unauthorised sales of Olympic tickets; and traffic regulation and enforcement during the Games.
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Research Briefing
EU Legislation: Government action on ‘gold-plating’
The Government aims to change the way in which EU law is transposed into national law in order to avoid 'gold-plating' and to minimise the burden of over-regulation on UK businesses. This Note looks at the main elements of the Government's principles for the implementation of EU law.
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Research Briefing
European Court of Human Rights rulings: are there options for governments?
This Note looks at European Court of Human Rights rulings on prisoner enfranchisement and what the UK Government might do in response to the Court's decisions in the cases of Hirst 2 and Greens and MT
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Research Briefing
Unemployment by Constituency, April 2011
This paper presents labour market data for Parliamentary Constituencies. A summary of the latest national and regional labour market data is given, along with a selection of relevant constituency-level indicators including the latest Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimant count data. The latest data show: Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimant count unemployment increased by 700 in March 2011 to 1.45 million. The wider ILO-based measure of unemployment was 2.48 million in the period December-February 2011, a fall of 17,000 from the last quarter. The number of people in employment aged 16 and over rose by 143,000 over the last quarter to 29.23 million (December-February 2011). This edition of Unemployment by Constituency contains a special section on long-term unemployment, as well as the regular monthly analysis of the national figures, and maps and tables with unemployment statistics for every constituency
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Research Briefing
The European Convention on Human Rights and the Court of Human Rights: issues and reforms
This Note looks at the history of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Court of Human Rights, the Court's principles and requirements for implementation of its rulings, the supervision of judgments by the Committee of Ministers and reform measures to tackle the Court's shortcomings.
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Research Briefing
How UK farmers could reduce greenhouse gas emissions
This note considers ways that farmers might reduce their consisderable emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly methane
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Research Briefing
The bilateral and multilateral aid reviews
The bilateral and multilateral aid reviews establish priorities for the Department for International Development's aid expenditure to 2014/15. This note looks at the process and results of these reviews.
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Research Briefing
Localism Bill: Committee Stage Report
This paper covers the Commons Committee Stage of the Bill, and complements Research Papers 11/02 and 11/03, prepared for Second Reading. The Bill covers a wide range of topics in local government, planning, housing and the governance of London. It was not substantially amended in Committee, although there were some minor technical Government amendments. However, at several points, Ministers agreed to look again at certain issues and consider whether to introduce amendments at Report Stage.
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Research Briefing
Health and Social Care Bill: Committee Stage Report.
The Health and Social Care Bill had its Second Reading in the Commons on 31 January 2011. The Bill was considered in Public Bill Committee in 28 sittings, between 8 February and 31 March 2011. A large number of Government amendments were made, mainly minor and technical changes, although significant alterations were made to clauses 103 and 104 in Part 3 of the Bill, to prevent competition on price. No Opposition amendments were agreed. This Paper summarises the Commons Second Reading debate and Committee stages and supplements the House of Commons Library Research Paper Health and Social Care Bill (RP 11/11), which was produced for the Bill’s Second Reading.
Total results (page 379 of 560)