Parliament Archives

Research Briefing

Sovereign Grant Bill

Tuesday, 12 July, 2011

The Sovereign Grant Bill concerns the way in which the monarchy is funded. It seeks to replace the Civil List and other grants that support the Queen’s official duties with a new Sovereign Grant, based on a percentage of the profits of the Crown Estate. The new grant is designed to deliver at first a broadly similar level of finance in cash terms to what is available at present. There are mechanisms for adjusting the level in future, and for using any significant surplus as a means to reduce the grant. The Sovereign Grant is intended to be a typical government grant that will lead to the royal finances being audited by the National Audit Office, and subjected to full parliamentary scrutiny.
Research Briefing

House of Commons: providing information and access for the public

Tuesday, 05 July, 2011

This note outlines some of the current initiatives in this area.
- Research Briefing
- House of Commons
Research Briefing

Thresholds in Referendums

Thursday, 30 June, 2011

Referendums have become an established mechanism for validating constitutional initiatives in the UK. The possibility of using an appropriate minimum turnout, or a special majority to ensure that the outcome of such a poll is seen as legitimate is sometimes raised. This note looks at the debate in the UK so far and briefly looks at the use of referendum thresholds in states outside the UK.
Research Briefing

Reform of the House of Lords: the Coalition Agreement and further developments

Thursday, 02 June, 2011

This note outlines the proposals for House of Lords reform contained in the Coalition Agreement, including those for the preparation of a draft Bill to create a fully or mainly elected House. Initial announcements stated that the draft Bill would be published in December 2010 but more recent statements have indicated that it will not be published until the New Year.
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

In brief: Burma’s ‘discipline-flourishing democracy’

Wednesday, 01 June, 2011

This note reviews developments in Burma since the November 2010 elections.
Research Briefing

Parliamentary privilege and qualified privilege

Wednesday, 25 May, 2011

This Note examines the concept of privilege as it applies to Members, staff, and publications of the House, press reports of Parliament, and members of public authorities. It compares qualified privilege with the absolute nature of parliamentary privilege, by examining a number of areas where privilege may be applicable. Apart from quoting the statutory authorities, it does not seek to deal with the wider question of media publications on matters of public interest, which may involve a different kind of qualified privilege
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

Income tax and Members’ expenses

Monday, 16 May, 2011

This note sets out the background to and extent of the provisions that applied to Members’ allowances administered by the House. It gives details of the changes proposed in the Budget, and enacted in the Finance (No 2) Act 2010.
Research Briefing

Members’ allowances from April 2011

Friday, 15 April, 2011
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

Members’ pay from April 2011

Wednesday, 30 March, 2011
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

The House of Lords Appointments Commission

Monday, 28 February, 2011

This note sets out the role of the Commission in more detail. It also summarises the conclusions of the December 2007 Public Administration Select Committee report, Propriety and Peerages.
- Research Briefing
- Parliament
Research Briefing

The Parliamentary Voting system and Constituencies Bill: summary of amendments

Monday, 21 February, 2011
Research Briefing

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill: Lords stages

Tuesday, 15 February, 2011

This Note summarises the Lords stages of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill 2010-11. It supplements Research Paper 10/55 which was produced for the Bill's second reading in the House of Commons and Research Paper 10/72 which summarises all the Commons stages of the Bill.
Research Briefing

Wash-up 2010

Friday, 11 February, 2011

The wash-up period at the end of a Parliament allows a Government to get onto the statute book essential or non-controversial legislation that would not otherwise complete its passage through Parliament because of Dissolution. This paper describes the wash-up process; reviews the proceedings on wash-up in 2010; and provides details of Bills that received Royal Assent in each of the last six wash-up periods.
Research Briefing

Parliamentary scrutiny of treaties: up to 2010

Tuesday, 08 February, 2011

Before 2010 the UK Parliament had no formal role in the ratification of treaties, which is a matter for the Government under the Royal Prerogative. There were however several ways in which treaties were scrutinised by Parliament before the Government ratified them, for example under the 'Ponsonby Rule'. There have been calls for Parliamentary scrutiny of treaties to be enhanced, including through creating a dedicated treaty scrutiny committee.
Research Briefing

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: operating the Members’ Expenses Scheme

Friday, 04 February, 2011

This note provides a brief review of the establishment of IPSA and of its role in setting and paying Members' expenses. It also outlines the limited responsibilities of the Government and the House in relation to a body that was expressly established to be independent of both.
- Research Briefing
- Parliament

Total results (page 62 of 76)