Research Briefing
This Note looks at some of the criticism of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular the procedure for selecting and electing judges to the Court, the quality and experience of those judges and proposals for reforming the selection criteria and method of appointment.
Research Briefing
In July 2010 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that Kosovo's declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 did not breach international law. The legal scope of the Opinion is extremely narrow, but its political implications could be very wide.
Research Briefing
This Note looks at European Court of Human Rights rulings on prisoner enfranchisement and what the UK Government might do in response to the Court's decisions in the cases of Hirst 2 and Greens and MT
Research Briefing
This Note looks at the history of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Court of Human Rights, the Court's principles and requirements for implementation of its rulings, the supervision of judgments by the Committee of Ministers and reform measures to tackle the Court's shortcomings.
Research Briefing
The bilateral and multilateral aid reviews establish priorities for the Department for International Development's aid expenditure to 2014/15. This note looks at the process and results of these reviews.
Research Briefing
What the rules of engagement are in Libya, and how far coalition forces are allowed to go in protecting the civilian population are highly controversial. This note looks briefly at some of the current questions.
Research Briefing
This note looks at the instability in the Middle East and North Africa since the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings.
Research Briefing
This Note looks at the background to and issues surrounding EU accession to the European Convention, UK Government views and Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Council decision on the negotiation of an EU accession agreement.
Research Briefing
This note looks at the development of a consensus on the United Nations Security Council for a resolution permitting military intervention in Libya. It reproduces the resolution.
Research Briefing
This note briefly describes the Wreck Removal Convention Bill 2010-11; a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP. The Bill provides measures to enable the United Kingdom to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Removal of Wrecks. It would insert new sections and a Schedule into the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
Research Briefing
Egypt's revolt has been greeted as a historic moment that will have enormous consequences throughout the Arab world. This note provides a simple chronological account of events swince 25 January. It looks a the background to the crisis and profiles groups and individuals involved and considers some likely outcomes of the present crisis.
Research Briefing
This note details the sometimes controversial dealings between the UK government and the regime of Muammer Qaddafi and looks at the reasons for Libya's partial rehabilitation by the west, in which the UK was closely involved.
Research Briefing
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
Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents
Research Briefing
On 22 December 2010 Iraq at last announced the formation of a new government, some nine months after inconclusive elections. This note looks at the composition of the government and political and security conditions in the country.
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