Research Briefing
This note describes the structure of the rail industry following privatisation by the Railways Act 1993. It is intended to give a factual account and only briefly touches on the issues involved in reaching decisions about the form of privatisation chosen or its shortcomings.
Research Briefing
This note outlines the background to, content of, and moves to implement the agreement reached at Hillsborough Castle between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein on 4 February 2010. The full text of the Agreement is included as an appendix to the note.
Research Briefing
This Note looks at the background to recent reform of the European Parliament expenses and allowances system. It provides information on the current expenses regime, with links to political party pledges and declarations of interest.
Research Briefing
This paper shows the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance recorded as resident in each constituency in the United Kingdom in February 2010, together with comparisons with the levels in February 2009 and February 1997. Residence-based unemployment rates are given for all 646 constituencies in the United Kingdom. The paper includes unemployment rates by constituency maps and an annual percentage change map, as well as a summary of the latest labour market data.
Research Briefing
This Note gives the background to the 1996 Act which legislated for the building of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link; details on the scheme post-1996 can be found iin SN/BT/267.
Research Briefing
This Note provides background to the WCML upgrade project completed in December 2008.
Research Briefing
This note outlines the current petitions process in the House of Commons. It then sets out the findings of the Procedure Committee's reports on petitions and the recommendations of the Committee on Reform of the House of Commons. Lastly it considers the operation of petitions committees in the Scottish Parliament and the House of Representatives in Australia.
Research Briefing
This is a report on the Committee Stage of the Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/17, prepared for the Commons Second Reading of the Bill. The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. It would restrict the activities of so-called 'vulture funds', which buy developing countries' sovereign debt at discounted prices, then seek to recover its value in full through the courts. It would limit successful claims to an internationally agreed level and apply equally to all commercial creditors. At Committee Stage, a new 'sunset clause' was added. The proposed legislation would now expire after one year unless renewed for a further year or made permanent by order.
Research Briefing
Summarises responses from individual European governments and from the EU.
Research Briefing
All firms undertaking sale and rent back agreements now have to be authorised by the FSA, so giving consumers greater protection. A key feature of the full regime will be that all consumers who undertake a sale and rent back agreement will have a guaranteed minimum tenancy of five years.
Research Briefing
This Note sets out how individuals who believe they are victims of a government's failure to respect an EU obligation, or that they have been negatively affected by an EU act or a failure to act, can seek judicial and non-judicial remedies.
Research Briefing
This Paper is a summary of many of the financial services legislative initiatives announced by the EU in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008/9.
Research Briefing
This note sets out the options available to homeowners to deal with nuisance trees and hedges. It includes details of high hedges legislation
Research Briefing
The Bill would allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to delegate the authority for determining Assembly Members' salaries and allowances either to an independent body or to the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission. The Bill specifies that an independent body would have to be established by Act of the Assembly, whereas authority could be delegated to the Commission by resolution of the Assembly. The Bill includes provisions to prevent Assembly Members who also sit in the House of Commons or the European Parliament from drawing their Assembly salaries. They would still be entitled to full allowances in connection with each mandate they hold.
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