• Research Briefing

    Debate on 11 July: Effect of Cuts in Legal Aid Funding on the Justice System

    This Note contains a brief summary of the development of legal aid, focussing on changes since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, before summarising the most recent consultation paper, Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a More Credible and Transparent System. The Note then outlines reactions to the latest proposals and summarises recent parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed changes.

  • Research Briefing

    Children and Families Bill (HL Bill 32 of 2013–14)

    This Library Note provides information on the Children and Families Bill, which is due for second reading in the House of Lords on 2 July 2013. The Bill covers several areas, including: adoption and children in care; the family justice system; children and young people with special educational needs; the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England; rights to leave and pay for parents; the right to request flexible working; and early years education and child care.

  • Research Briefing

    Debate on 27 June: the Challenges Faced by Women in Developing Countries

    This Library Note focuses on the challenges faced by women in the developing world, and the action which is being taken by the UK Government, international governments and multilateral aid organisations to address these challenges. It briefly considers the significance of gender within the field of international development, and goes on to summarise some of the key research and statistics on the position of women in the developing world, focusing on four areas: education, employment, health, and violence against women.

  • Research Briefing

    Debate on 20 June: Report of the Commission on a Bill of Rights

    This Library Note contains a brief summary of the development of human rights law in the United Kingdom and previous proposals for a British Bill of Rights, before précising a selection of the findings of the report of the Commission on a Bill of Rights. The Note concludes with an overview of some of the responses to the report.

  • Research Briefing

    Energy Bill (HL Bill 30 of 2013-14)

    The Energy Bill is intended to establish a framework for delivering secure, affordable and low-carbon energy. This Library Note provides background information for the second reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on 18 June 2013.

  • Research Briefing

    Care Bill [HL] (HL Bill 1 of 2013-14)

    The Care Bill consolidates and reforms adult social care law in England. It includes provision for a cap on individual social care cost contributions and implements legislative responses to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust failings. This Library Note provides background information ahead of the second reading debate on the Care Bill in the House of Lords on 21 May 2013.

  • Research Briefing

    Offender Rehabilitation Bill [HL] (HL Bill 2 of 2013–14)

    The Offender Rehabilitation Bill would provide increased support and supervision upon release for those serving prison sentences of up to two years, and would make changes to the arrangements for community orders and suspended sentence orders. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords.

  • Research Briefing

    Volume of Legislation

    This House of Lords Library Note looks at the volume of Acts of Parliament since 1930 from the perspective of the House of Lords, as well as at the volume of Statutory Instruments since 1961.

  • Research Briefing

    Debate on 14 March: Afghanistan’s Regional Relationships

    Afghanistan lies at the heart of Central Asia. Since the invasion by Western-led forces in 2001, its relationships with its regional neighbours have been mixed: at times characterised by co-operation, at others by competing national interests. This Note explores those relationships in the context of Afghanistan’s current security, political and economic situation, focusing particularly on key actors such as Pakistan and efforts to encourage dialogue and co-operation, and examines the potential impact of these regional dynamics on Afghanistan’s future stability and prosperity.

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