• Research Briefing

    Non-Domestic Rating Bill: HL Bill 140 of 2022–23

    The Non-Domestic Rating Bill is a government bill that would make changes to business rates. It would reduce the time between property revaluations, impose a duty on businesses to notify the Valuation Office Agency of changes that could affect a property’s rateable value, and introduce rates reliefs for improvements to property and heat networks. It was introduced in the House of Commons on 29 March 2023 and its second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled to take place on 19 June 2023.

  • In Focus

    Supporting the performing arts

    In 2022 music, performance and visual arts contributed an estimated £11.5bn to the UK economy. The government supports the performing arts primarily through Arts Council England (ACE), which received £943mn from the government and National Lottery in 2021/22. To support its levelling up agenda, the government has asked ACE to distribute more of its funding outside London.

  • In Focus

    Supported housing

    Supported housing is accommodation where residents receive support, supervision or care. Housebuilding targets include targets for supported accommodation; however, housing associations and local authorities have argued that government funding is not sufficient to enable enough to be built. Concerns have been raised about the quality of supported housing, which is largely paid for by housing benefit.

  • In Focus

    Cryptoassets: What does the future hold? 

    Cryptoassets, such as digital currencies like bitcoin, have become a significant part of the world of finance, with a global value estimated at $0.8tn. Volatility in the markets for these products, along with high-profile business failures, has led to calls for cryptoassets to be regulated. This article discusses what cryptoassets are, as well as recent developments and the government’s policy intentions in this area.

  • Research Briefing

    Online Safety Bill: HL Bill 87 of 2022–23

    The Online Safety Bill is a government bill that would establish a regulatory framework for certain online service providers. It would also create several new offences relating to online harms including offences of false communications, threatening communications, sending or showing flashing images electronically (‘epilepsy trolling’) and sending photographs or films of genitals (‘cyberflashing’). The government has said it will bring forward several amendments to the bill in the House of Lords including new offences relating to intimate images and promoting self-harm, criminal sanctions for senior managers of non-compliant providers, and promotion of small boat crossings.

  • Research Briefing

    Financial Services and Markets Bill: HL Bill 80 of 2022–23

    The Financial Services and Markets Bill is a government bill that would make wide-ranging changes to the regulation of financial services in the UK. It would implement the outcomes of the Future Regulatory Framework review by repealing retained EU law relating to financial services. It would transfer responsibility for these areas of regulation to the financial services regulators. Among other things, the bill contains provisions to enable the establishment of a regime to regulate stablecoins, a type of cryptoasset, and to protect access to cash.

  • In Focus

    Independent review of children’s social care

    In its 2019 manifesto the Conservative Party committed to undertaking an independent review of children’s social care. The review published its final report in May 2022. The report argued that a “radical reset” in children’s social care was needed and made recommendations on how to achieve this.

  • In Focus

    House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea report

    The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was a landmark convention setting out rules relating to the world’s oceans and seas. The convention covers issues including territorial limits, resources and protection of the marine environment. In March 2022 the House of Lords International Affairs and Defence Committee published a report examining whether the convention was still fit for purpose.

  • In Focus

    The evolution of the Salisbury convention

    In recent years there have been three occasions in which leadership of the government has changed without a general election having been called. This has given rise to questions about the relationship between a government’s legislative agenda and its most recent election manifesto. This article looks at how the Salisbury convention has shaped the House of Lords’ treatment of government manifesto bills.

  • Research Briefing

    Energy Prices Bill 2022–23

    The Energy Prices Bill would enact several policies the government announced in September 2022 to reduce the cost of energy for consumers. The bill would put in place the ‘energy price guarantee’, which would limit the cost of electricity and gas per unit for domestic consumers. This was initially planned to run for two years, however on 17 October 2022 the government announced it would be reduced to six months. The bill is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 19 October 2022.

  • In Focus

    Times Education Commission: ‘Bringing out the best’

    The Times Education Commission was composed of leaders from the fields of education, politics, public life and culture. It set out to examine the entire education system, arguing that the disruption of Covid-19 presented an opportunity to make fundamental changes to education provision. The commission published its final report in June 2022.

  • In Focus

    Research and development spending: Pharmaceuticals

    In the UK, pharmaceutical research and development is funded primarily by businesses. The government is the next biggest funder. The UK comes 13th among OECD economies for overall research and development spending from all sources and in all sectors. However, it comes third for government spending on health research and development. The government has committed to increasing funding for research and development.

  • In Focus

    E-scooters: The road ahead

    Across the UK, e-scooter trials are taking place to gather data and inform the government’s decision-making. This article takes a closer look at safety, current regulations, and what the government has said so far about their plans.

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