In Focus
Newly recruited prison officers can draw their full occupational pension between the ages of 65 and 68, depending on their date of birth. The prison officers’ union argues such officers do a demanding physical job and regularly face violence, so requiring them to work until their late 60s is inappropriate and harmful. Ministers say they are open to discussions with the union but there are no plans to adjust prison officers’ retirement age.
In Focus
The House of Lords is to debate the financial pressures on higher education on 30 March 2023. This article looks at how the higher education system is funded and the financial challenges it faces. This includes long-term pressures, such as the decreasing real-terms value of tuition fees, and short-term issues linked to the pandemic and cost of living.
In Focus
On 30 March 2023, the House of Lords is due to debate adult social care. The debate is expected to focus on government plans for adult social care, new duties for the Care Quality Commission to assess local authorities, and several non-government reports on how adult social care in England should be reformed. This article considers these issues and outlines social care policy announcements made by successive Conservative administrations in recent years.
In Focus
In 2022, the House of Lords European Affairs Committee examined the relationship between the UK and EU in financial services. In its report, the committee said the UK’s financial services sector remained strong and that some challenges presented by Brexit had proven to be less significant than predicted. However, it warned the government against complacency, saying that ministers must ensure their future approach delivered for the sector and the wider UK economy.
In Focus
Developing countries have been identified as some of those most at risk from the effects of climate change. This includes many of the member states of the Commonwealth. The UK government has made a series of commitments to provide support to developing countries in order to mitigate these risks, including through aid spending and international climate finance. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate these policies on 30 March 2023.
In Focus
The chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, will deliver a budget on 15 March 2023. This article sets out the economic and fiscal backdrop for the budget, outlining some of the key issues the government is facing.
In Focus
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.
In Focus
This article explores the impact of cost of living pressures on housing costs. Higher inflation, interest rates and rents, coupled with a decline in average real-terms earnings, have increased housing costs for many people. Evidence suggests that the impact is being felt across all housing tenure types, but that tenants in the private and social rented sectors have been most adversely affected.
In Focus
The Barnett formula calculates the yearly change to the block grant; this is the largest of the grants provided to the devolved administrations by the UK government. The formula aims to give each nation the same pounds-per-person change in funding each year. However, criticisms about equity have been made regarding how the formula is calculated. Calls for reform have mainly focused on proposals to introduce a universal needs-based factor to the formula.
In Focus
The Israel-Palestine conflict has seen increased violence in 2023. Despite a joint Israeli-Palestinian commitment announced on 26 February 2023 to work towards ending the violence, concerns have been raised about the feasibility of the commitment. This article looks at recent developments in the region and statements, including from the UK and international community, focused on ending the conflict.
In Focus
In its latest global gender gap report, published in July 2022, the World Economic Forum found that the global gender gap had slightly narrowed between 2021 and 2022. Despite this, it contended that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused a “generational loss” in closing the gap. This article details the findings of the report and some of the actions taken by the government to try to support the education of women and girls in the UK and worldwide.
In Focus
The Dunlop review examined whether UK government structures were set up to “realise fully all the benefits of being a United Kingdom”. Its report, published in March 2021, made recommendations on reforms the UK government should make to the machinery of government and the civil service to strengthen the working of the union. This article looks at how its recommendations have been taken forward.
In Focus
There are several challenges facing the delivery of health care in rural areas, including generally older populations, larger distances to cover, and poor connectivity (of both transport and telecommunications). The government has said it is addressing these issues through its levelling up agenda and has introduced policies such as the community pharmacist consultation service to support community pharmacies in rural areas.
In Focus
The UK and Iran have long had a complex and difficult relationship. There have been long-standing tensions over Iran’s nuclear activity, its destabilising activities in the Middle East and the arbitrary detention of dual nationals. But these have been exacerbated in recent months by widespread human rights abuses as the regime in Tehran looks to quell unrest at home, supplies drones to Russia for use in Ukraine and plans extraterritorial abductions and killings abroad, including within the UK.
In Focus
Police and crime panels are local bodies that scrutinise police and crime commissioners in England and Wales. There have been some concerns that they lack the right resources, training and powers to carry out the role effectively. A recent government review concluded they had the right powers at their disposal. Following the review, the government updated guidance for panel members and support officers.
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