• Research Briefing

    End of Custody Licence

    The End of Custody Licence (ECL) was introduced in June 2007 to help deal with prison overcrowding. Eligible prisoners may be released up to 18 days before their release date, but can be recalled if they misbehave. Some prisoners are disqualified, including those convicted of certain violent offences. Since its introduction, over 36,000 prisoners have been released early under ECL. The Government have said that they intend the scheme to be a temporary one. The Conservatives have pledged to abolish the scheme, and the Liberal Democrats have also criticised it.

  • Research Briefing

    London Underground PPP: background

    This note looks at contemporary assessments of the investment needed to upgrade the London Underground, some of the proposals consequently put forward to bring this about and the Labour Government’s final decision to fund future development with a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

  • Research Briefing

    Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill [Bill 17 of 2009-10]

    The Bill seeks to limit the amount that can be recovered by any commercial creditor of those countries designated as having unsustainable external debts. The legislation 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. It would cover the 40 countries in the IMF/World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Debts incurred after the Bill's entry into force would be excluded.

  • Research Briefing

    Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill: Committee stage report

    There were some significant amendments during the Committee Stage of this Bill. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority was given control over setting Members' pay and pensions by amendments to the Parliamentary Standard Act 2009. There is to be a new Compliance Officer to investigate alleged misuse of Members' allowances; amendments would ensure that all MPs and peers would be liable to UK taxes; there would be a referendum on whether to adopt the Alternative Vote by 31 October 2011; and a new requirement on Returning Officers to begin election counts four hours after a general election poll closes.

  • Research Briefing

    2010 Benefit Uprating

    From April 2010 rates of many benefits and Tax Credits will change, mostly they will increase by one of three factors: +2.5% Basic State Pension +1.8% Standard minimum guarantee Pension Credit, Income Support, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit +1.5% Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Child Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Working & Child Tax Credits The 1.5% increase is being paid by "bringing forward" a proportion of the increase expected in April 2011. Next year, any increase over 1.5% will be paid in the usual way. For some benefits there is to be no increase in April 2010. For example, pensions on top of the basic state pension (additional pension, increments to the pension, Graduated Retirement Benefit) and dependency increases will remain at the same rates. This note sets out the basis for the April 2010 uprating of the main social security benefits. It focuses on the Retirement Pension and Pension Credit but also contains a summary of the main benefit and tax credit rates before and after the uprating.

  • Research Briefing

    Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill [Bill 21 of 2009-10]

    The Bill seeks to amend the 2007 Act by setting a deadline for the Secretary of State to initiate the next round of proposals for enhancing the sustainability of local communities from local authorities under the Act. It provides for regulations to be made specifying the rules for this process. These are also to cover parish council involvement and the role of local petitioning. There is also provision for greater flexibility in decision-making on proposals.

  • Research Briefing

    Clarification of the Act of Settlement 1701

    This note explains the background to the introduction of Clause 83 into the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill 2009-10. The clause was introduced after it was suggested that Section 18 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 has introduced some difficulties of interpretation into the provisions of Section 3 of the Act of Settlement 1701.This affected the eligibility of Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland citizens to sit in the House of Lords.

  • Research Briefing

    Shipping: UK policy

    This note gives a brief history of the british merchant fleet and outlines the policies of the Labour Government, including training and employment for seafarers.

  • Research Briefing

    Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Bill: Committee Stage Report

    This paper summarises the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Bill. In July 2009 the Government announced that it would legislate to ensure that tenants are given adequate notice to vacate their property if their landlord defaults on their mortgage. Over the summer of 2009, the Government consulted on legislative options to achieve this. On 3 December 2009, Dr Brian Iddon announced that he would introduce a Private Members' Bill to protect private tenants whose landlords default on their mortgage. The Bill has Government support.

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