Research Briefing
This note outlines the background to and scope of the financial services compensation scheme (FSCS). Significant changes were made to the scheme in the summer of 2007 following the emergence of financial difficulties at the Northern Rock bank and in October 2008 following continued difficulties in the UK banking sector.
Research Briefing
The 2010 General Election will use new constituency boundaries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland the boundaries will be the same as 2005. After the election there will be 650 seats in the House of Commons, four more than the 646 now. In partisan terms, the new areas give a net benefit to the Conservatives. If the 2005 election had been fought on the new boundaries the Conservatives would have gained around 12 additional seats and Labour seven fewer.
Research Briefing
This Note describes the setting up of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), the background to it, its functions and powers as set out in the Transport Act 2000 and its abolition in 2005.
Research Briefing
This note summarises the White Paper The Future of Rail published on 15 July 2004.
Research Briefing
Internet access: By Rachael Harker. SN/SG/2663. This Note provides a summary of information about households with home access to the Internet and individuals' use of the Internet.
Research Briefing
In July 2007 the Government published a Rail White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, incorporating the first high level operating statement (HLOS). It also published the Rail Technical Strategy. This Note gives an overview of these two documents along with responses from industry and opposition parties.
Research Briefing
This note contains key statistics on council tax levels in 2010/11 and a limited amount of analysis is provided. The main purpose of this note is to act as a reference document although more detailed analysis is available on request.
Research Briefing
This note summaries the proceedings of the Bill in the Commons following Second Reading and provides information on amendments to the Bill during its Lords Stages. It complements the Library Research Paper 09/90 prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
Research Briefing
The Bill implements aspects of Government policy on digital media set out in the ‘Digital Britain’ White Paper published in June 2009. It requires Ofcom to report on communications infrastructure and media content and gives it additional powers in relation to electromagnetic spectrum access. It imposes obligations on internet service providers to reduce online copyright infringement and allows the Secretary of State to intervene in internet domain name registration. The Bill requires Channel Four to provide public service content on a range of media and allows variation of the public service provision in Channel 3 and 5 licences. It also modifies the licensing regime to facilitate switchover to digital radio, extends the range of video games that are subject to age-related classification and includes non-print formats in the public lending right payment scheme.
Research Briefing
This paper sets out the main changes to direct tax rates and allowances announced in the Budget on 24 March 2010. It lists the principal personal allowances which will be available against income tax in the tax year 2010/11, and outlines the conditions for eligibility for these allowances. The paper summarises the general tax position in straightforward cases and deals only with tax allowances. No reference is made to cash benefits provided under the social security system, or to child tax credit and working tax credit.
Research Briefing
This note summarises the main points in the 2010 Budget and the reaction to it.
Research Briefing
This Note provides data on the number of electors and attainers in each parliamentary constituency as at 1 December 2009, published by the Office for National Statistics on 26 February 2010.
Research Briefing
The UK has universal jurisdiction under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 (and other legislation) for a limited number of serious international crimes. It also has an obligation under international law to prosecute or extradite those suspected of war crimes or torture anywhere in the world. There are few such prosecutions in the UK but arrest warrants have been sought for private prosecutions. The Government is consulting on a change to the law on private prosecutions for universal jurisdiction offences, and the UN is conducting a review of the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction.
Research Briefing
The Note gives a history of Railtrack from when it was set up in 1994 to 2002 when it emerged from administration.
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