Research Briefing
The Future of the British Nuclear Deterrent: Suggested Reading
This paper is now out-of-date and has been replaced by Commons Library Briefing CBP7353, Replacing the UK's Trident Nuclear Deterrent, 26 October 2015
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Research Briefing
Russia and Ukraine – update June 2014
Ukraine is due to sign its agreement with the EU on 27 June; Russia's reaction is awaited
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Research Briefing
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S)
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) became a bespoke trading entity on 1 April 2014. This note explores what why the Government’s preferred GOCO option failed and a trading entity means.
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Research Briefing
Negotiation with Iran: update May 2014
An impoortant second stage of negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme started in May.
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Research Briefing
Women in combat
Women may soon be able to serve in combat roles in the Armed Forces. The Defence Secretary has launched a review of the current policy that excludes women from ground close combat roles. It will report back by the end of 2014, a shift from the Government’s previously stated position to not review the policy
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Research Briefing
Women in combat: a bibliography
Women may soon be able to serve in combat roles in the Armed Forces. The current policy excluding women from ground close combat roles is to be reviewed and will report before the end of 2014. This note provides a short overview and a bibliography of sources of further reading.
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Research Briefing
Defence Reform Bill: Lords Amendments
The Defence Reform Bill provides for the reform the way in which the Ministry of Defence procures equipment and support for the Armed Forces and, separately, extends the scope for the use of the Reserve Forces. The Government made several amendments to the Bill during its passage through the House of Lords and the consolidated Lords amendments to the Bill are available as Bill 197 2013-14. The Bill returns to the Commons on 29 April 2014.
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Research Briefing
The Military Justice System: an introduction
The Service Justice System provides a legal framework that ensures Service personnel are subject to a single disciplinary code that applies wherever they are serving.
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Research Briefing
Armed Forces Redundancies
The fourth and final tranche of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme was announced on 23 January 2014. Over 11,000 personnel have made redundant since 2011 with a further 1,500 expected in 2014.
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Research Briefing
Germany’s 2013 election: shaping the future?
Where is Germany – the most influential country in Europe – heading, under its new grand coalition government?
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Research Briefing
The Deal with Iran
On the 24th of November, the world woke up to news that a deal had been reached between the Permanent Five plus One (the UK, US, France, China, Russia and Germany) and Iran. A Joint Plan of Action was the outcome of weeks of hard negotiations. The deal was indeed revealed to be the fruit of years of US-Iran secret negotiations alongside a decade of public Iranian diplomacy following the revelation of a wide scale Iranian enrichment programme. This note seeks to outline the terms of the deal and reactions to it, background information for context and give a sense of potential technical and geopolitical outcomes.
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Research Briefing
The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy: A Fresh Impetus?
The European Council Summit is due to be held on 19-20 December 2013. Among the main issues for debate is the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It will be the first time in five years that EU leaders have comprehensively discussed EU defence policy, amid criticisms that CSDP has lost momentum due to a lack of consensus over its strategic direction, an unwillingness on the part of Member States to commit the necessary resources and the prevailing economic crisis which has seen defence budgets fall across Europe and capabilities cut.
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Research Briefing
Report Stage and Third Reading of the Defence Reform Bill
Report Stage and Third Several amendments were tabled prior to Report stage, including one which sought to impose an obligation on the Government to report on the viability and cost-effectiveness of the plan to increase the size of the Reserves, which would then be subject to approval by both Houses before the Government could continue with its reform agenda. Despite the support of several Conservative backbenchers, that amendment was, however, defeated on division. A clause seeking to increase the leave entitlement of Reservists was also defeated. Reading of the Defence Reform Bill took place in the House of Commons on 20 November 2013.
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Research Briefing
Recent developments in Iran
Does the election of Hassan Rouhani in iran mean that the nuclear crisis will be resolved?
Total results (page 22 of 28)