Research Briefing
Firefighters pension schemes – current reforms
Looks at the current debate on reforms to firefighters' pensions
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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.
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Research Briefing
Draft Scotland Clauses: summary
The Government has published draft clauses on further devolution to Scotland, taking forward the Smith Commission Agreement. This note provides a summary.
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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.
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Research Briefing
Infrastructure Bill: Planning Provisions
The Infrastructure Bill 2014-15 would make changes to the planning system: to change the process of development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects, and to allow certain types of planning conditions to be regarded as discharged if a local planning authority took too long to determine an official application to discharge them. This note sets out these provisions and comment on them in more detail.
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Research Briefing
Sex and relationships education in schools
What children should be taught about sex and relationships, by whom and when, is a matter of persistent political debate. There are currently two Private Member’s Bills before Parliament on the subject, as well as an Education Committee inquiry in progress. The matter was raised during the passage of the recent Children and Families Act
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Research Briefing
State Pension top up
Looks at the provisions in the Pensions Act 2014 to allow people who reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016 to pay voluntary class 3A National Insurance Contributions to increase their entitlement to the additional State Pension
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Research Briefing
Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Bill [Bill 17 of 2014-15]
This House of Commons Library briefing paper provides information on the Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Bill, which received its Second Reading on 7 November 2014. It is a Private Members Bill containing measures intended to improve patient safety. It was introduced by Jeremy Lefroy MP, who came fifth in the Private Members’ Bill ballot.
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Research Briefing
The Affordable Homes Bill 2014-15
This note provides background information on the Bill’s provisions and summarises the content of the Bill. The Bill's Committee Stage was adjourned on 29 October 2014 as a money resolution must be passed in order for it to progress any further.
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Research Briefing
2015 Benefit uprating
State pension, benefit and tax credit increases in April 2015 - what the rates are and how are they are calculated.
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Research Briefing
Pension Schemes Bill 2014-15 – House of Commons stages
A guide to debate in the House of Commons on a Bill to provide a new legislative framework for private pensions and make changes relating to the flexibilities for defined contribution pension savers to be introduced from April 2015
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Research Briefing
National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill [Bill 18 of 2014-15]
This Library briefing paper provides information on the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill, which received its Second Reading on 21 November 2014. The Bill seeks to make changes to a number of provisions in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 relating to: ministerial responsibility for the NHS, competition and procurement policy, and the limits set on NHS hospitals' private income. The Bill also includes measures intended to exempt the NHS from the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Treaty.
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Research Briefing
Infrastructure Bill [HL]
This is a ‘portmanteau’ bill, covering a number of separate but related areas.
Total results (page 173 of 219)