This Research Paper examines how the National Lottery operates in the UK. In particular, the paper explains the process by which Lottery funds are applied for and distributed to good causes, and summarises trends in the allocation of funding by region and constituency. In addition the paper addresses a number of criticisms levelled at the operation of the Lottery including politically-motivated distribution and the withholding of funds by the distributing bodies.
This note briefly reviews the background to the CSPL inquiry and notes the people from whom it received oral evidence. The note also records the indications that the political parties have given about how they are likely to respond to the CSPL's report.
This paper provides an introduction to the Islamic Republic of Iran; its politics, economy, foreign and defence policies, and nuclear programme. It examines the governmental structure of the theocratic state, analyses the key personalities and forums of decision-making and assesses Iran’s policies at home and abroad.
There has been growing pressure to introduce legislation to address the threat of flooding and water scarcity—both are predicted to increase with climate change.
The Government published a draft Flood and Water Management Bill in April 2009, and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the document. The Committee welcomed a number of the proposals, but it was concerned that a lack of parliamentary time would undermine the introduction of a comprehensive Bill. The Government introduced a slimmed-down version of the Bill on 19 November 2009.
Key features include measures to: require the Environment Agency to create a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, which a number of organisations will have to follow; require lead local flood authorities to create Local Flood Risk Management Strategies; enable the Environment Agency and local authorities more easily to carry out flood risk management works; introduce a more risk-based approach to reservoir management; change the arrangements that would apply should a water company go into administration; enable water companies more easily to control non-essential uses of water, such as the use of hosepipes; enable water companies to offer concessions to community groups for surface water drainage charges; require the use of sustainable drainage systems in certain new developments; and, introduce a mandatory build standard for sewers.
In September 2009, the Government announced that it would be introducing free personal care for people living in their own home with the highest care needs. The Bill follows proposals announced earlier in the year in the Shaping the Future of Care Together green paper to create a National Care Service for social care. It is intended that the introduction of free personal care will be the first step in setting up the National Care Service.
The Bill would introduce: a carbon capture and storage incentive to support the construction of up to four UK demonstration projects, to be chosen in a competition; mandatory social price support to lower energy bills (social tariffs) for the most vulnerable, which would replace the current voluntary agreement which expires in 2011. It would also add ensuring security of supply and protecting consumers to the objectives of the regulator, Ofgem; increase the regulator’s powers to deal with exploitation of electricity distribution constraints by generators; and increase Ofgem’s power to fine companies. It would give the Secretary of State the power to ban cross-subsidy between gas and electricity accounts.
The Bill fulfils the Government’s commitment made in September 2008 to enshrine the 2020 child poverty target in legislation. It establishes four separate child poverty targets to be met by 2020/21, requires the UK Government to publish a regular UK child poverty strategy, requires the Scottish and Northern Irish Ministers to publish child poverty strategies, establishes a Child Poverty Commission to provide advice, requires the UK Government to publish annual progress reports, and places new duties on local authorities and other “delivery partners”’ in England to work together to tackle child poverty.
This note examines measures of hospital standards and patient safety published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Dr. Foster Research Limited and critically appraises the methodology underpinning their assessments. Concerns have been raised about the lack of consistency between the CQC and Dr. Foster ratings; in the final section, a comparison is made between the two, and some explanations for the discrepancies are offered.