• Research Briefing

    Charging decisions and police-led prosecutions

    Since 2010, the police have been given greater responsibility for charging decisions and prosecutions with the aim of cutting bureaucracy. The police are now responsible for nearly 80% of all charging decisions and prosecuting an increased range of offences, including, for example, criminal damage under £5,000 and careless or inconsiderate driving. The Crown Prosecution Service retains responsibility for the most complex and serious cases.

  • Research Briefing

    Care Bill [HL] Committee Stage Report

    The Bill would consolidate existing legislation for adult social care in England into a single framework, and introduce reforms to the way care and support is accessed and funded. It also includes reforms to the regulation of health services and care standards, and would establish Health Education England (HEE) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) as statutory non-departmental public bodies. The final section of the Bill would enable the establishment of the Better Care Fund to promote joint working between the NHS and care and support services.

  • Research Briefing

    Mortgage Market Review

    This note describes the proposed changes to the rules surrounding the granting of mortgages by lenders. The changes are intended to provide more protection for consumers and to reduce the chance of mortgage holders experiencing difficulty in paying off their debt. The mortgage industry however, argue that the rules are too strict and will dramatically reduce the chance of some sections of society being able to get the loan funding that they want.

  • Research Briefing

    National Insurance Contributions Bill 2013-14 : Parliamentary scrutiny

    The main purpose of the National Insurance Contributions Bill 2013-14 is to implement the new Employment Allowance - which allows businesses to claim up to £2,000 from their annual payment of NICs. The Bill also contains a number of miscellaneous measures announced in Budget 2013 relating to the scope of NICs. This note gives an overview of the Bill’s scrutiny to date. It is complemented by a Library Research paper prepared for its Second Reading debate (RP13/60, 20 November 2013).

  • Research Briefing

    Inheritance and Trustees’ Powers Bill [HL]

    The Inheritance and Trustees’ Powers Bill [HL] is based substantially on a draft bill prepared by the Law Commission. It is following the special procedure which applies to Law Commission bills. The Bill is a technical Bill which would amend aspects of the law of intestacy and family provision claims; and the statutory powers of trustees in all trusts.

  • Research Briefing

    Social imbalances and population flows to London

    “The continued drift of the industrial population to London and the Home Counties constitutes a social, economic and strategical problem which demands immediate attention” – Report of the Royal Commission on the Distribution of the Industrial Population, 1940 A recent report by the Centre for Cities stated that while London’s strong economic performance should be

  • Research Briefing

    Local television

    The UK’s first local TV channel began broadcasting in November 2013, with others scheduled to launch in 2014. This note describes the background to the policy, how the channels are funded and the licence conditions imposed on them.