Research Briefing
This note provides an introduction to the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It examines the overall political and legal framework in Iran as it relates to human rights and considers the human rights experiences of religious and ethnic minorities - groups like the Baha'is and Jews - and at the human rights situation relating to gender and sexuality.
Research Briefing
The Government set targets to reduce child poverty by a quarter between 1998/99 and 2004/05, as a step towards halving it by 2010/11 and a goal of 'eradicating' it by 2020. A Bill to enhsrine the 2020 target has been published. A Library research paper on the bil is aviailable at http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2009/RP09-062.pdf The 2004/05 target was missed (see SN/EP/4759 for details). A new composite measure of three indicators was then adopted, one of which constitutes the national target of halving child poverty by 2010/11.
Research Briefing
Looks at a Private Member's Bill which would enable limits to be placed on the occupational pension entitlement of the director of a bank which has been taken wholly or partly into public ownership.
Research Briefing
This briefing on the Child Poverty Bill has been prepared for the Second Reading debate on the Bill in the House of Commons.
Research Briefing
Report of the Commons Committee Stage of the Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Bill. This is a Private Member's Bill, introduced by Peter Ainsworth, which seeks to define and promote "green energy".
Research Briefing
On 22 January 2009, the House of Commons agreed to a new version of the Green Book, rules on Members' allowances and changes to the audit regime for Members' allowances. The new Green Book came into effect on 1 April 2009. This paper reviews developments that led to the revision of the Green Book; the background to changes made since it was published; and the decision by the Committee on Standards in Public Life to inquire into Members' expenses. See also Research Paper 09/61 which covers the Parliamentary Standards Bill.
Research Briefing
The Bill introduces a statutory Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations. The IPSA will be responsible for devising a scheme for Members' allowances and for determining claims. The Commissioner will investigate allegations of misuse of allowances and breaches of the financial interest rules. See also Research Paper 09/60, which covers the background to the Government's decision to implement major changes, pending the report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life expected in autumn 2009.
Research Briefing
This Research Paper provides a detailed account of the key issues and perspectives raised at these hearings. Like the Treasury Select Committee in the UK, a number of influential US committees concerned with financial issues have convened hearings featuring expert witnesses from the executive branch, the federal regulators and the private sector.
Research Briefing
This Bill (formerly known as the Holocaust (Stolen Art) Restitution Bill, is a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Andrew Dismore. It gives the trustees of various public museums in Great Britain the power to transfer any cultural objects currently held in their collections which had been misappropriated by the Nazi regime between 1939 and 1945, so that they can be restored to the lawful owners or their heirs. This is a report on the Committee stage of the Bill.
Research Briefing
This Standard Note sets out details of the major FoI requests made to the House of Commons since the introduction of the right to make individual requests in January 2005. It also describes the actions taken by the House of Commons in response to the requests and subsequent decisions by the Information Commissioner, the Information Tribunal and the High Court.
Research Briefing
This Note provides a summary of the reforms recommended in the Turner Review, the European Commission's de Larosiere report, documents produced by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and a range of reports produced by the Financial Stability Forum/Financial Stability Board.
Total results (page 418 of 560)