• Debate Pack

    Debate pack: E-petition relating to making the production, sale and use of cannabis legal

    This debate pack is prepared for the Westminster Hall debate on the e-petition relating to making the production, sale and use of cannabis legal on 12 October at 4.30pm. Debate packs are produced quickly after the announcement of parliamentary business. They are intended to provide a summary or overview of the issue being debated and identify relevant briefings and useful documents, including press and parliamentary material. More detailed briefing can be prepared for MPs on request.

  • Debate Pack

    Access to drugs for ultra-rare diseases

    This debate pack has been prepared for the Westminster Hall debate on access to drugs for ultra-rare diseases on Tuesday 16 June at 2.30pm. It provides a summary, relevant parliamentary and press articles and links to further reading. Prior to the Westminster Hall debate, Digital outreach and Genetic Alliance UK organised a digital Rare Diseases debate on Twitter.

  • Research Briefing

    Smoking in public places

    This note outlines the provisions of the smoking ban in England that came into effect on 1 July 2007 in a practical context. It also includes recent developments such as the introduction of new regulations in 2015 regarding smoking in private vehicles.

  • Research Briefing

    Mitochondrial Donation

    This note seeks to provide a summary of the role of mitochondria, mitochondrial disease and the proposed new techniques. It will also outline the investigations into these techniques that took place prior to the Government announcement; a HFEA scientific review of the safety and efficacy of methods, an ethical review of the techniques for mitochondrial replacement undertaken by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and an HFEA public consultation. The main safety and ethical considerations associated with the introduction of these techniques into clinical practice will be discussed.

  • Research Briefing

    Standardised packaging of tobacco products

    This note gives an overview of the debate over standardised packaging. As such, it is not a comprehensive account of the different arguments used by those who support its use, and those who oppose it. Much more detail on these arguments is given in the Government’s summary report to its public consultation. Similarly, this note does not seek to evaluate the different views that have been expressed as to the impact that standardised packaging might have on public health, the incidence of smuggling, and the compliance costs to business.

  • Research Briefing

    Serious Crime Bill

    This Bill would make changes aimed to strengthen the law on the recovery of the proceeds of crime. It would make amendments to the Computer Misuse Act 1990 to update existing offences. It would also provide for a new offence of participating in the activities of an organised crime group and make changes to Serious Crime Prevention Orders and gang injunctions. The Bill would provide for the seizure and forfeiture of substances used as drug-cutting agents. It would also amend the offence of child cruelty, create a new offence relating to the possession of ‘paedophile manuals’ and amend the law on Female Genital Mutilation. The Bill would create a new offence of unauthorised possession of a knife or other offensive weapon in prison and confer extra-territorial jurisdiction on the courts in respect of certain terrorism offences.

  • Research Briefing

    Ebola Outbreak 2014

    The 2014 Ebola outbreak started in Guinea in December 2013 and now Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are all severely affected. It is the largest outbreak to date, at the time of writing there were over 9,000 confirmed or suspected cases. This note provides an overview of the disease, the international and UK responses to the 2014 outbreak and an outline of some of the experimental treatments being considered for use.

  • Research Briefing

    Mitochondrial donation in Parliament

    Earlier this year, following a consultation on draft regulations, the Government announced that they would be laying regulations before Parliament to allow for the introduction of new techniques to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease. Parliament will have an opportunity to scrutinise the draft Regulations and will be asked for its approval before they

  • Research Briefing

    Ending FGM in the UK

    On International Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) day on 6 February 2014, Government ministers signed up to a declaration on FGM. It said there is no justification for this practice – it is child abuse and it is illegal. FGM has been illegal since 1985 and the most recent Female Genital Mutilation Act

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