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Research Briefing
Antarctic Bill – Committee Stage
The Antarctic Bill is presented as a Private Member’s Bill by Neil Carmichael MP. This note sets out the issues discussed in the Bill Committee on 21 November 2012. These included: the timing of the enactment of the provisions relating to the liability annex, compatibility with existing shipping liability provisions, and the wider issue of the future of the British Antarctic Survey.
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Research Briefing
Constituency casework: tax credits
This is an archived Commons Library briefing on constituency casework: tax credits, from 2013.
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Research Briefing
“Insulting words or behaviour”: Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986
The Government has now announced that it is “not minded” to challenge a Lords amendment to the Crime and Courts Bill which would remove the word “insulting” from section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.
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Research Briefing
Referendum on independence for Scotland
The UK and Scottish Governments reached agreement in October 2012 on the legislation needed to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. This Note discusses the agreement, and the draft “Section 30 Order” by which the UK Parliament will give the Scottish Parliament the power to hold the vote. It also covers the question of the franchise and some reaction to the agreement.
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Research Briefing
Norway’s relationship with the EU
Norway is not part of the EU, and although it has adopted large amounts of EU legislation, it has little influence.
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Research Briefing
State Second Pension
This note outlines the development of the State Second Pension
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Research Briefing
Draft Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill
The Draft Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill would amend the Gambling Act 2005 so that remote gambling would be regulated on a point of consumption basis, rather than point of supply (as at present).
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Research Briefing
Householders and the criminal law of self defence
This note considers the potential criminal liability of householders who use force against intruders. Such householders will have a complete defence if they can demonstrate they were using reasonable force in self defence. However, cases such as those of Tony Martin and Munir Hussain have led some to call for a change in the law so that the test is one of "not grossly disproportionate force" rather than "reasonable force". The Government is now proposing to legislate for such a change by way of the Crime and Courts Bill.
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Research Briefing
MPs Pension Scheme – background
This note provides background on the pension scheme for MPs - the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund - and its development to 2011. The current debate on reform of the scheme is covered in SN 6283 MPs pensions - 2012 onwards
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Research Briefing
Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill [HL] : Committee Stage Report
This Bill creates the office of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, whose role is to enforce and oversee the Groceries Code – a code of practice that regulates the relationship between large retailers and their suppliers
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Research Briefing
Crime and Courts Bill [HL]
The Bill would establish a new National Crime Agency and make a number of changes to the administration of justice. It also deals with the law of self defence as it applies to householders defending themselves from intruders; makes changes to community sentences and to immigration appeal rights; and introduces a new drug driving offence.
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Research Briefing
Economic Indicators, January 2013
This Research Paper series summarises the main economic indicators currently available for the UK, along with comparisons with other major OECD countries.
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Research Briefing
HGV Road User Levy Bill: Committee Stage Report
This Bill would provide for the introduction of an HGV road user levy from April 2014.
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Research Briefing
Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill
Social security legislation requires the Secretary of State to review benefit levels each year to determine whether they have retained their value relative to prices. For most benefits annual uprating is not mandatory, but historically governments have exercised their discretion by increasing the principal means-tested working-age benefits each April in line with prices. In his 2012 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that increases in most working-age benefits would be limited to 1% a year for three years from 2013-14, as part of a package to deliver additional welfare savings of £3.7 billion a year by 2015-16. The Bill amends primary legislation to enable the decisions on uprating in 2014-15 and 2015-16 to be implemented.
Total results (page 417 of 639)