Research Briefing
This note looks at reforms introduced to the Local Government Pension Scheme in April 2008. The current debate on further reforms to the scheme is in SN 5823 Local Government Pension Scheme - 2010 onwards
Research Briefing
In 2011 the ratio of lower quartile house price to lower quartile earnings in England was 6.5. The highest ratios are found in London (9.0), the South East (8.2) and the South West (7.8).
Research Briefing
This note discusses the effects of the Ofcom ban on junk food advertising aimed at children and future policy options
Research Briefing
Statistics on working-age claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and its predecessor incapacity-related benefits in each constituency in Great Britain. In November 2011 there were 2.57 million claimants of these benefits in Great Britain.
Research Briefing
This paper summarises the Second Reading and Committee of the Whole House stages of the Local Government Finance Bill 2010-12, which has been carried over into the 2012-13 session. Library Research Paper 12/01, Local Government Finance Bill 2010-12, published for Second Reading on 10 January 2012 in the 2010-12 session, is relevant.
Research Briefing
Under current rules, NHS bodies and GPs’ practices are not prohibited from using non-geographic phone numbers, such as 0845 numbers, although the Department of Health has issued guidance about their use.
Research Briefing
A number of MPs have contacted the Library concerning an e-mail that constituents have forwarded alleging abuse of the fostering system in order to benefit from the allowances available. The e-mail in question is not based in fact, and is a hoax. This short note explains the many errors in the “Breadwinner” email, and notes that an almost identical US version is also in circulation, which seems to be the source of the version discussed in this note.
Research Briefing
This note provides information on the different types of fostering arrangements available, and the arrangements for taking a child into care.
Research Briefing
Looks at current proposals to increase employee contributions to public service pension schemes
Research Briefing
This note considers the issue of the removal of resident wardens from sheltered housing and the move towards a model of "floating support".
Research Briefing
The 2010 Spending Review announced that contributory Employment and Support Allowance for claimants in the Work-Related Activity Group would be limited to 12 months. The time limit takes effect on 30 April 2012. For some claimants, benefit will stop immediately. All recipients of contributory ESA in the WRAG, including Incapacity Benefit claimants “migrated” to ESA on reassessment, will be affected by the time limit. Savings of almost £1.5 billion a year are expected by 2015-16.
Research Briefing
At the Conservative Party conference in October 2010 the Chancellor announced that from January 2013 Child Benefit would be withdrawn from families with a higher rate taxpayer. Revised proposals were set out in Budget 2012 under which Child Benefit will instead be clawed back gradually from families with a taxpayer with an income between £50,000 and £60,000 a year.
Research Briefing
This note describes the statutory publicity requirements before a planning application can be determined.
Research Briefing
The Government published the final version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) on 27 March 2012. It replaced almost all planning guidance immediately, although planning authorities have twelve months in which to get their plans adopted.
Total results (page 188 of 219)