Research Briefing
The UK is committed to spending 0.7% of its gross national income on aid each year. While this gives a sense of the scale of overall future spending in this area, there are still questions to be answered about exactly how much money is spent, who spends it and where. Some of these questions may
Research Briefing
On 25 September UN Member States agreed 17 'Sustainable Development Goals' at an extraordinary Summit of the UN General Assembly. At various points during the negotiations, the UK Government expressed concern that 17 goals was too many. Debates continue over how far the goals embody a 'transformational agenda'.
Research Briefing
The use of PFI contracts is controversial. This note considers the arguments for the costs and benefits of PFI, as well as looking at changes to PFI under the coalition government.
Research Briefing
The recent parliamentary election in Greece was a triumph for the radical left-wing Syriza party, which has now formed an anti-austerity coalition. What are the political and economic implications of these developments?
Research Briefing
This note looks at the debates on the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill 2014-15 since the bill’s introduction. In committee, the bill was amended, changing the requirements about the scrutiny of aid spending. At third reading, the bill was passed by the House of Commons by 146 votes to five.
Research Briefing
This note analyses statistics contained in a viral email on aid spending, which is often headed 'Something to think about'.
Research Briefing
This is a report on the House of Commons Committee stage of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill.
Research Briefing
The International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill 2014-15 would put the 0.7% aid target in legislation and would create a new body to carry out independent evaluation of aid spending.
Research Briefing
TNT Post are in direct competition with Royal Mail in parts of London, Liverpool and Manchester – they now provide a full ‘end-to-end’ service in these areas, delivering business post directly to the addresses of customers, and are said to be planning to expand. Royal Mail believe that this competition is a threat to the universal postal service they provide. This note explores the issues, possible responses and the position taken by Ofcom, the regulator, so far.
Research Briefing
The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill will receive its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 16 July 2014.
Research Briefing
In 2010–12, half of households (50%) in Great Britain had some kind of financial debt – for example formal borrowing (but not mortgages), overdrafts and arrears on household bills. About half of these households – a quarter (25%) overall – had debts worth more than their financial assets. Financial assets can include money held in
Research Briefing
Provisional statistics published today suggest that the UK has met its target to spend 0.7% of gross national income on aid in 2013. The only major countries to spend at least 0.7% of their gross national income on aid in 2012 were Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Finland achieved 0.7% once, in 1991.
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