Research Briefing
Some Members representing Welsh constituencies called for a meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee in order to discuss the impact on Wales of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill 2010. The Secretary of State, Cheryl Gillan, declined. This Note gives a very brief account of the business of the Committee and a list of its previous meetings.
Research Briefing
The forthcoming election in Jordan will not have a big impact on the country's political scene. Political parties are weak and the monarchy retains most of the power in the country.
Research Briefing
This standard note explains the structures and reform of local transport governance and finance in England during the course of the 1997-2010 Labour Government.
Research Briefing
This Note explains the current arrangements under which the Assembly legislates, the new approach if the referendum on law making powers approves a change, and how the move to a referendum has come about.
Research Briefing
This note charts progress of the Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [Lords] in the House of Commons. The Bill completed its passage through the Lords and was introduced in the Commons on 24 February 2010.
Research Briefing
The Bill gives effect to the Coalition Government’s commitment to stop the restructuring of councils in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon. Specifically the Bill would prevent implementation of any of the existing proposals for a single-tier local government structure made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords and was introduced into the House of Commons on 11 October 2010. This briefing was prepared to inform the Second Reading debate on the Bill.
Research Briefing
This note compares the number of parliamentarians in the lower or single chamber of different countries.
Research Briefing
This Paper has been prepared for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons. The Bill seeks to enable the next general election to be fought under the Alternative Vote system, provided this change is endorsed in a referendum on 5 May 2011 and boundary changes have been made to reduce the size of the House of Commons to 600. New rules for the redistribution of seats are designed to give primacy to numerical equality in constituencies and regular redistributions would take place every five years.
Research Briefing
The Fixed-term Parliaments Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 22 July 2010. The proposals are part of the Coalition Agreement between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, agreed after the May 2010 General Election. The Bill fixes the date of the next General Election at 7 May 2015, and provides five year fixed-terms. There are provisions to allow the Prime Minister to alter the date by Order by up to two months. There are also two ways in which an election could be triggered before the five year term: if a motion of no confidence is passed and no alternative government is found within 14 days; or a motion for an early General Election is agreed either by at least two-thirds of the House or without division.
Research Briefing
In November 2009 the Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB) published its Review of Financial Support for Members of the House of Lords. This note sets out the expense allowance system as it currently operates, the background to the 2009 SSRB report, and its recommendations. It then sets out the changes made so far to the system.
Research Briefing
Elections are due on Thursday 5 May 2011 in 279 English local authorities. Elections will also be held on the same day to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly. Scottish Council elections due in 2011 have been deferred until 2012 (and next in 2017 before returning to a 4-year cycle). In Northern Ireland, elections to the existing 26 local councils are also due to be held on 5 May 2011
Research Briefing
From August 2010, the ONS has switched from using the 'working-age' population to using the whole population aged 16 to 64 as the basis upon which a variety of headline labour market statistical indicators are presented. This note provides details on the change and looks at its effect on the Library's JSA claimant rate.
Research Briefing
A general election has been called for 21 August 2010. This note gives background, and looks at the fall of Kevin Rudd and the campaign.
Research Briefing
This research paper provides the results of the 14 by-elections held during the 2005-10 Parliament.
Total results (page 137 of 162)