• Research Briefing

    Reform of the House of Commons: The establishment of a Backbench Business Committee

    This note briefly sets out the way in which the business of the House of Commons is currently decided. It summarises the proposals on the scheduling of business from the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons and the decisions made by the House on 4 March 2010. It considers the March 2010 report of Reform Committee and their proposed changes to Standing Orders, along with the Government's own proposals.

  • Research Briefing

    Unemployment by constituency, June 2010

    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 Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimant count data (for May 2010).

  • Research Briefing

    Progress towards nuclear disarmament?

    In April 2009 President Obama set out his vision for a world without nuclear weapons, and in doing so laid the groundwork for renewed international efforts to strengthen and advance the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Over the past year that momentum has translated into the agreement of a successor to the US-Russia START treaty, global commitments to secure highly vulnerable nuclear materials within four years and the establishment, at the May 2010 Review Conference, of an action plan in support of the three main pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This paper examines the prospects for achieving that vision of 'global zero'.

  • Research Briefing

    Special Constables

    This note sets out the role and powers of special constables as well as looking at some of the initiatives to increase their numbers.

  • Research Briefing

    Aviation: Concorde

    This note describes the political and economic agreement between Britain and France to build and operate Concorde. It does not cover the technology.

  • Research Briefing

    The establishment of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

    This note briefly describes the background to the decision to create the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and a Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations. It then outlines the functions given to IPSA and to the Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009. It also sets out the steps taken in establishing IPSA, including the appointment of the Speaker's Committee and the Chair of IPSA, Sir Ian Kennedy.

  • Research Briefing

    Identity Documents Bill, Bill 1 of 2010-11

    The Bill’s central purpose is to abolish identity cards and the National Identity Register, but there are no provisions for refunding existing card-holders. The Bill retains provisions included in the Identity Cards Act 2006 that proscribe the possession or making of false identity documents other than ID cards – such as passports and driving licences. Immigration ID cards for foreign nationals are untouched by the measures.

  • Research Briefing

    Capital gains tax : the 2008 reforms

    In the 2008 Budget the Labour Government introduced a major reform to capital gains tax, introducing a new single rate of tax set at 18%, and withdrawing 'taper relief', which had been designed to encourage longer-term investment in business assets. This note examines the background to this reform.

  • Research Briefing

    Sudan: Peace or war, unity or secession?

    This paper considers the current political situation in Sudan, including the impact of the April 2010 elections in which Omar al-Bashir was re-elected as national President. The prospects for Sudan over the coming year are examined, with particular reference to the two referendums to be held in January 2011, required under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and the recent resurgence of the conflict in Darfur.

Total results (page 396 of 558)