Research briefings

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• State and ceremonial funerals Published 31 July 2013 | Standard notes SN06600 This Note explains the arrangements for state and ceremonial funerals, including examples from the past. It shows the distinction between the two types of funeral, looks at what is known about the process to decide whether a state funeral will be held for a commoner, and provides some information on costs. Topic: Constitution, Crown
• Succession to the Crown Bill (HL Bill 81 of 2012–13) Published 11 February 2013 | Library notes LLN 2013/005 The Succession to the Crown Bill makes changes to the laws of succession to the Crown. This Library Note summarises the proceedings which have taken place on the Bill during its passage through the House of Commons, ahead of the Bill’s second reading debate in the House of Lords on 14 February 2013. Topic: Church and state, Constitution, Crown, Equality, Religious discrimination, Sex discrimination
• Referendum on independence for Scotland Published 15 January 2013 | Standard notes SN06478 Amended 13 February 2013 The UK and Scottish Governments reached agreement in October 2012 on the legislation needed to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. This Note discusses the agreement, and the draft “Section 30 Order” by which the UK Parliament will give the Scottish Parliament the power to hold the vote. It also covers the question of the franchise and some reaction to the agreement. Topic: Constitution, Devolution, Scottish Parliament
• The Turks and Caicos Islands Published 31 December 2012 | Standard notes SN05038 This note briefly reviews the crisis of political and economic governance which has affected the Turks and Caicos Islands since 2008. A period of direct rule came to an end when fresh elections were held in November 2012. Only time will tell whether the Turks and Caicos Islands are now set on a new course – and, if so, what that course is. Topic: Constitution, Election results : international, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Overseas territories
• Constitutional change: timeline from 1911 Published 21 December 2012 | Standard notes SN06256 This note contains a short and highly selective chronology of constitutional change over the past century. Prominent themes include parliamentary reform, devolution and changes to the franchise. Topic: Constitution
• Succession to the Crown Bill 2012-13 Published 19 December 2012 | Research papers RP12/81 The Succession to the Crown Bill would make changes so that gender would no longer play a part in determining the order of succession to the Crown, and so that a person marrying a Roman Catholic would no longer be barred from becoming or remaining monarch. It would also remove a requirement for descendants of George II to seek permission from the monarch to marry, replacing it with a requirement for the first six people in the line of succession to seek consent if they wish to remain in line to the throne. This Paper discusses the existing rules, the changes proposed by the Bill, and the process among the 16 states of which the Queen is Head of State to make the changes together. Topic: Constitution, Crown
• Nepal: re-setting the peace process? Published 27 November 2012 | Standard notes SN04229 This note covers events in Nepal since 2006, where a painful and protracted peace process has been underway. At the end of May 2012, the Constituent Assembly supposed to draw up a new Constitution was dissolved without having achieved its objective. The key sticking point was federalism. Since then, the political parties have argued about how to re-set the process. While there is growing agreement that what is needed is a new 'national unity' caretaker government and elections in 2013 for a fresh Constituent Assembly, there is still fierce dispute over which party should provide the prime minister. The president has given the parties until the end of the month to decide. Topic: Asia, Constitution, International politics and government
• Timetabling of constitutional bills since 1997 Published 18 July 2012 | Standard notes SN06371 This note provides some information on the amount of time the House has spent considering constitutional bills on the floor of the House of Commons during committee stage. The Note covers the period since 1997, when the programming of bills was first introduced. Topic: Constitution, Legislative process, Parliament
• The Separation of Powers Published 16 August 2011 | Standard notes SN06053 This Standard Note considers the extent to which 1) the executive and legislature; 2) the executive and judiciary; and 3) the judiciary and legislature now overlap and interact. Topic: Constitution, Parliament
• Fixed Term Parliament Bill – Lords stages Published 20 July 2011 | Standard notes SN05932 This standard note summarises the Lords stages of the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill Topic: Constitution, Elections, Electoral systems, Parliament
• Sovereign Grant Bill Published 12 July 2011 | Research papers RP11/57 Amended 13 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. Topic: Constitution, Crown
• Thresholds in Referendums Published 30 June 2011 | Standard notes SN02809 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. Topic: Constitution, Elections, Regional assemblies
• Conventions on the relationship between the House of Commons and House of Lords Published 08 June 2011 | Standard notes SN05996 Amended 09 June 2011 There are a number of conventions and statutes which together, enshrine the primacy of the elected chamber, the House of Commons, over the House of Lords. These are examined in this note along with the requirements of the Parliament Acts and the proposals set out by the Government in their 2011 White Paper and Bill. Topic: Constitution, House of Commons, House of Lords, Parliament
• In brief: Burma's 'discipline-flourishing democracy' Published 01 June 2011 | Standard notes SN05412 This note reviews developments in Burma since the November 2010 elections. Topic: Asia, Constitution, Elections, Human rights, United Nations
• The Parliamentary Voting system and Constituencies Bill: summary of amendments Published 21 February 2011 | Standard notes SN05863 Topic: Constitution, Elections, General elections, House of Commons, Parliament
• Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill: Lords stages Published 15 February 2011 | Standard notes SN05780 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. Topic: Constitution, Elections, Electoral systems, General elections, House of Commons, Parliament
• The Act of Settlement and the Protestant Succession Published 24 January 2011 | Standard notes SN00683 This note sets out the legal background to the rules surrounding the succession and then considers the historical background and context for the limitations on religious beliefs of the monarch and their spouse before looking at how the legislative restrictions could be removed. Lastly, it sets out recent attempts to change the laws of succession. Topic: Constitution, Crown
• Fixed-term Parliaments Bill: Commons Stages [Bill No 64 of 2010-11] Published 20 January 2011 | Research papers RP11/09 This Research Paper summarises all the Commons stages of the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill. It complements Research Paper 10/54 which was prepared for the Commons Second Reading. No major amendments were made to the Bill during its Committee stage and no amendments were made during Report. Topic: Parliament, Elections, Electoral systems, Constitution
• Debate on 20 January: Constitutional and Parliamentary Effect of Coalition Government Published 17 January 2011 | Library notes LLN 2011/002 Amended 01 November 2011 This Library Note aims to provide background reading for the debate on 20 January 2011: "To call attention to the constitutional and parliamentary effect of Coalition Government". Topic: Central government, Civil Service, Constitution, Ministers, Parliament, Parliamentary procedure
• Fixed-term Parliaments Bill 2010-11: Commons stages Published 20 December 2010 | Standard notes SN05688 Amended 05 July 2011 The Fixed-term Parliaments Bill [Bill No 64 of 2010-11] was introduced to the House of Commons on 22 July 2010 and had its Second Reading on 13 September 2010. This Note details the progress of the Bill, including developments between First and Second Reading and the Second Reading debate itself. Topic: Constitution, Elections, Parliament