Research Briefing
The Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill is a Private Member’s Bill. The Bill applies to draft primary legislation and to secondary legislation published before the parent Act has gained Royal Assent. In these cases, it requires that the draft contain a statement setting out its legal effects on each nation of the United Kingdom, and that a memorandum accompany the draft showing its financial effects on each nation.
Research Briefing
Central government will provide approximately £73bn in grants to local authorities in England in 2011/12. This funding is made up of the formula grant, comprised of revenue support grant, redistributed business rate income and Home Office Police Grant where appropriate, and specific grants.
Research Briefing
Before 2010 the UK Parliament had no formal role in the ratification of treaties, which is a matter for the Government under the Royal Prerogative. There were however several ways in which treaties were scrutinised by Parliament before the Government ratified them, for example under the 'Ponsonby Rule'. There have been calls for Parliamentary scrutiny of treaties to be enhanced, including through creating a dedicated treaty scrutiny committee.
Research Briefing
In a recent test case brought by the Child Poverty Action Group, the Supreme Court ruled that the Department for Work and Pensions did not have the power to recover benefit overpayments caused by administrative error under common law. The Government has indicated that it intends to amend the law to enable it it recover a wider range of overpayments, including those caused by official error. Measures are expected in the forthcoming Welfare Reform Bill.
Research Briefing
This note covers a proposed EU ban on the use in cosmetics of any ingredients tested on animals. Currently ingredients tested on animals outside the EU are allowed but are due to be phased out by 2013.
Research Briefing
This paper has been written for the House of Commons Second Reading debate on the Education Bill [Bill 137] on 8 February 2011. The Bill seeks to implement the legislative proposals in the Department for Education’s schools White Paper, 'The Importance of Teaching', and measures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills relating to skills and the reform of higher education funding. It is therefore a very wide-ranging Bill.
Research Briefing
This Note looks at the Government's policy on Europe: first, at the election manifestos of the two parties, the Coalition Programme for Government and the Government's response since May 2010 to matters concerning the EU.
Research Briefing
This note provides a brief review of the establishment of IPSA and of its role in setting and paying Members' expenses. It also outlines the limited responsibilities of the Government and the House in relation to a body that was expressly established to be independent of both.
Research Briefing
Developments in the Equitable Life case from the establishment of the Penrose enquiry.
Research Briefing
The Spending Review on 20 October 2010 announced that, from April 2012, for those Employment and Support Allowance claimants assessed as eligible for the Work Related Activity Group, contributory ESA will only be payable for up to one year. Some claimants affected by the change will be able to claim income-based ESA, but it is estimated that around 280,000 could lose entitlement to ESA completely.
Research Briefing
The Anonymity (Arrested Persons) Bill is a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Anna Soubry. It would prohibit the publication or broadcast of the name, address or image of a person arrested for an offence if such information would be likely to lead members of the public to identify him or her as the person suspected of committing the offence in question. These reporting restrictions would remain in force unless and until the arrested person was charged with the offence for which he or she had been arrested. In certain circumstances a Crown Court judge would be able to direct that the reporting restrictions should not apply, for example if publishing the identity of the suspect might lead to new complainants or witnesses coming forward.
Research Briefing
No single party won an overall majority at the 2010 General Election, for the first time in the UK since February 1974. The Conservatives won the most seats, 306, a net change of 96 compared with notional 2005 general election results. Labour were down by 90 seats, leaving them with 258, while the Liberal Democrat total of 57 was five fewer than 2005. General Election 2010 provides detailed analysis of the results of the 2010 General Election. The data for votes cast and electorates agree with the official results published by the Electoral Commission. This Research Paper replaces the analysis published on 8 July 2010 which used provisional data.
Research Briefing
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries. The 0.5% contraction in GDP in Q4 2010 surprised most economists who had predicted modest growth. The ONS blamed the impact of December’s weather for some, but not all, of the weakness. This together with other recent economic data – particularly increasing unemployment, rising inflation and falling consumer confidence – further amplify the uncertainty about the economy in 2011. [Articles:'GDP growth: It was the weather - wasn't it?' and 'Working out work - what's happening in the labour market?']
Research Briefing
The EC Food Supplements Directive (2002/46/EC of 10 June 2002) was implemented in England by Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 SI 2003/1387, with effect from 1 August 2005. Equivalent Regulations implemented the Directive in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Draft legislation to amend this Directive is being prepared by the European Commission and is expected in 2009. This Note brings together documents relevant to UK legislation on the application of the EU Food Supplements Directive.
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