Research Briefing
The political and economic profile of Southeast Asia as a region continues to rise. The UK is scaling up its engagement with the region. This briefing provides country snapshots of the main events in six of the countries in the region since the start of 2012 and also looks at significant developments over the past year or so in the UK’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states.
Research Briefing
This note provides an update on political developments in Wales between January and December 2012. It updates the previous Library Standard Note (SN/PC/06177), Political Developments in Wales to December 2011.
Research Briefing
The Commercial Lobbyists (Registration and Code of Conduct) Bill 2012-13 is a Private Member’s Bill promoted by Thomas Docherty. It seeks to create a statutory register for commercial lobbyists and a legally enforceable code of conduct. It was presented on 25 June 2012, and is scheduled for second reading on 1 February 2013.
Research Briefing
The European Union (Approvals) Bill (HC Bill 121) aims to approve two draft EU Council decisions and one draft decision of the European Council (the EU Heads of State and Government).
Research Briefing
The Electoral Registration and Administration Bill 2012-13 was introduced on 10 May 2012. The Bill makes provision for a legislative framework for the introduction of a new system of individual electoral registration (IER) under which electors will be registered individually instead of by household. This Note summarises the progress of the Bill. It supplements Research Paper 12/26 which was produced for the Bill’s second reading in the House of Commons on 23 May 2012.
Research Briefing
This note introduces the Liaison Committee's review "Select committee effectiveness, resources and powers" (November 2012) and the academic literature on the effectiveness of select committees
Research Briefing
This Note sets out the mechanics for holding referendums. It summarises the applicable provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) which regulate publicity and campaigning.
Research Briefing
EU staff salaries have been the subject of some criticism in recent months. This Note pulls together the various strands in the EU staff salaries debate.
Research Briefing
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people of working age, starting from April 2013. Part 4 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides the framework for PIP, but the detailed rules for the new benefit – including the assessment criteria – are to be set out in regulations.
Research Briefing
After a failed ballistic missile launch by North Korea in April 2012, an apparently more successful one took place in December, characterized at the time by the regime as a satellite launch. The UN Security Council passed a resolution further toughening sanctions. North Korea has responded to the new sanctions with its customary threatening rhetoric and has announced that it is preparing to conduct a third nuclear weapon test, following on from those undertaken in 2006 and 2009. This note surveys the state of play on the nuclear issue in the light of internal developments in North Korea, where Kim Jon-Un appears to have consolidated his power.
Research Briefing
This note examines the judgment in the case of Eweida and Others v the United Kingdom, handed down by the European Court of Human Rights on 15 January 2013. The case considered the restrictions an employer may justifiably place on workers’ freedom to manifest their religion in the workplace.
Research Briefing
This paper contains labour market figures for parliamentary constituencies, as well as a summary of the latest national and regional statistics.
Research Briefing
Looks at proposals to introduce a single-tier flat-rate State Pension
Research Briefing
Instability in North Africa appears to be spreading, as a hostage crisis unfolds in an Algerian gas plant run jointly by BP. The Algerian government seemed to have escaped lightly compared with other North African governments from the Arab uprisings. But the war in neighbouring Libya and increasing unrest in the Sahel region to Algeria’s south have taken their toll. It remains to be seen whether Algeria’s authoritarian regime will be seriously challenged by the twin threats of domestic political unrest and jihadi terrorism.
Research Briefing
The Ministerial Code states that when Parliament is in Session, the most important Ministerial announcements should be made in Parliament. However there have been occasions when, for whatever reason, announcements have not been delivered in Parliament first. Often in such cases the Speaker has made a statement to the House deprecating what has happened and sometimes calling on the minister concerned to account for his/her actions.
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