Research Briefing
An survey of high-cost credit products (including bank overdrafts, loans, buy-now-pay-later and rent-to-own) and action being undertaken to regulate such products and to address problems that they can lead to. This paper reflects the situation in early 2020 and is not being updated.
Research Briefing
The number of bank branches in the UK roughly halved from 1986 to 2014 and closures are expected to continue. Concerns have been raised about the impacts on vulnerable people, small businesses and the viability of the cash system. This briefing is no longer being updated. For latest developments, see The future of local banking services and access to cash (CBP-9453).
Research Briefing
While the UK prepares to leave the EU, the future of services trade has received less attention in the public debate than trade in goods. The UK’s exposure to services trade means however that businesses in many sectors across the economy will be affected. This paper looks at the complexity of international trade in services and discusses what could change under the different future scenarios.
Research Briefing
An introduction to capital finance and borrowing by local authorities in England, including details on the Public Works Loan Board, local authority bonds, and tax increment financing.
Research Briefing
The No-deal Brexit: A guide to Commons Library research is an annotated bibliography of sources published by the House of Commons Library on a potential no-deal Brexit. It will be updated regularly. Links to the papers included in the resource are available on this page, the downloadable version includes additional comment on some of the selected papers.
Research Briefing
This briefing looks in detail at the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated between the EU and UK and finalised on 14 November 2018. It was endorsed by EU Member State leaders at a special European Council summit on 25 November and the UK Prime Minister promoted it in the UK Parliament and around the country. The Agreement was debated at length in Parliament on several occasions and has been voted on three times. But the House of Commons has not endorsed it. A second extension of Article 50 took exit day to 31 October 2019, but once again the UK is faced with the possibility of leaving the EU without an agreement if this agreement or another one is not ratified by the UK and the EU.
Debate Pack
A Westminster Hall debate on the ‘Government response when the closure of last local bank is proposed' has been scheduled for Wednesday 12 June 2019 from 2.30-4pm. The debate has been initiated by Douglas Ross MP.
Debate Pack
A Westminster Hall debate on 'Financial exclusion and the future of access to cash' has been scheduled for Tuesday 21 May 2019 from 9.30-11.00am. The debate has been initiated by Seema Malhotra MP.
Research Briefing
The House of Commons has voted on various options for the future UK-EU relationship in the hope that an agreed UK position may help to break the impasse following the Commons' rejection of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. The Government says it may hold a further Commons vote on future relationship options. What options have been proposed?
Research Briefing
This Briefing Paper was prepared for the second reading of the Financial Services (Implementation of Legislation) Bill 2017-19 on Monday 11 February 2019. It was updated after Committee Stage on 26 February 2019.
Debate Pack
A Westminster Hall debate on the effect of Santander branch closures on local communities' will be held on Thursday 14 February from 1.30pm. The Member opening the debate is David Linden MP.
Research Briefing
What could happen if the EU and UK negotiators don't agree a withdrawal agreement in time and the UK has to leave the EU on 29 March 2019 without one - and with no framework for future relations either? This paper looks at how such a situation might come about, the constitutional implications for the UK and in some cases for the devolved administrations, and what the impact might be in a range of policy areas.
Research Briefing
Push payment scams are a growing form of financial fraud. The industry, financial regulators and the police are working together to try to reduce its impact. This note outlines some current initiatives.
Insight
How successful has the industry been in maintaining provision of free cash across the country, including areas with high deprivation?
Total results (page 8 of 20)