Research Briefing
Ever since the success of the acronym “BRICs” – coined at the beginning of the 2000s to describe the large fast-growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China – economists and investment managers have been attempting to come up with another collection of large emerging economies with bright prospects that can be combined to form
Research Briefing
A briefing paper on the local government resource review, initiated by the Coalition government in 2010.
Research Briefing
MPs debated annuities last week, an area that the MP initiating the debate, Richard Graham, described as “dull, but important, and absolutely ripe for review and improvement”. Annuities are becoming an increasingly significant component of retirement income. They are the way in which most people saving in a defined contribution (DC) pension secure an income
Research Briefing
This note provides information on the resource allocation formula for distributing funding for health services in England to local commissioning groups: clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). It includes the historical use of allocation formulas; the formula that was proposed and rejected for the 2013-14 funding round; and information on the new CCG allocations for 2014-15 and 2015/16.
Research Briefing
This note explains who is entitled to a ‘fair rent’ and how these rents are set.
Research Briefing
This note examines the UK responses to human trafficking, including the Government's strategy and implementation of the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking and a related EU Directive. Standard Note SN/HA/6792 looks at the Draft Modern Slavery Bill published in December 2013.
Research Briefing
The jet engine, polyester, graphene: indicative of a problem that has been grappled with by successive Governments – the innovation gap in the UK, menacingly referred to as ‘the valley of death’. All of the products above were invented by UK companies, universities or individuals. After invention, however, their development and much of their commercialisation
Research Briefing
In his speech on welfare on welfare given at Bluewater, Kent on 25 June 2012, the Prime Minister put forward a number of ideas including removing access to Housing Benefit for people aged 16-24, and preventing school leavers from claiming benefits straight away. This note outlines the ways in which the tax benefit system already treats young people aged 18-24 differently, and the reaons why
Research Briefing
Jim O’Neill, the economist who first coined the term ‘BRICS’ in 2001, has announced that Nigeria (along with Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey [acronym: MINT) could become one of the next emerging ‘economic giants’. Yet there remain grounds for wondering whether Mr O’Neill’s view is overly rose-tinted. In sharp contrast to him, some recent observers have been talking instead of possible ‘revolution’ or the ‘disintegration’ of Nigeria. Perhaps, like pre-1914 Russia, it is precariously teetering between all three options.
Research Briefing
Since the mid 2000s annual Government support to the rail industry has been significantly larger than in the 1980s and 1990s. A peak was reached in 2006/07. Support in 2012/13 is around 30% lower than this peak.
Research Briefing
The Government has said that it aims to reduce net migration “from the hundreds of thousands back down to the tens of thousands” by the end of the current Parliament. This is a somewhat rhetorical way for the Government to express its intention, as average annual net migration during the last Parliament was around 200,000
Research Briefing
The Bill aims to approve two draft EU Council Regulations made under Article 352 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Research Briefing
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries. This month’s articles: "Tax revenues: recession and recovery" and "Lights, roads, water – the fragile state of infrastructure investment"
Research Briefing
This House of Commons Background Paper sets out how private bills are passed through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
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