Research briefings

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• Pensions: Automatic enrolment - 2010 onwards Published 04 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06417 The Workplace pension reforms will start to be introduced from 2012. Employers will be required to automatically enrol workers into a qualifying pension scheme and, unless the worker opts out, make minimum contributions. Topic: Pensions
• Calls for reform of the criminal law on child neglect Published 04 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06372 The current criminal offence of child neglect is set out in section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. The charity Action for Children has launched a campaign calling for reform of the law, arguing that the legislation needs to "catch up" with modern society's understanding of neglect. However, the Government has said it has no plans to change the law in this area as the courts and children's services already interpret the 1933 Act "in a contemporary way". Topic: Children and families, Criminal law
• Manufacturing: Economic Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN05206 Manufacturing output rose by 1.6% in December 2012 compared with November 2012. Manufacturing output fell by 1.8% for the entirety of 2012, as compared with 2011. Topic: Economic situation, Manufacturing industries
• Business and Consumer Confidence: Economic Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02817 This page provides latest information on business and consumer confidence surveys, which is generally released ahead of official statistical data and can indicate changes to the economic outlook as well as turning points in the economic cycle. Topic: Consumers, Economic situation, Manufacturing industries
• Asylum decisions: Social Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02654 Summary statistics on asylum decisions in the UK. Topic: Asylum, Immigration, Population
• Asylum seekers: Social Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02653 Summary statistics on asylum seekers. Topic: Asylum, Immigration, Population
• International migration: Social Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02652 International migration: Social Indicators page. By Oliver Hawkins and Richard Cracknell. SN/SG/2652. Topic: Immigration, Population
• Financial Indicators: Economic Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN05207 The FTSE-100 is up 1% on the month and 7% on the year. Oil is down 2% on the month and down 8% on the year. Gold is down 4% and 10% on the year. Topic: Economic situation
• Inflation: International: Economic indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02794 UK inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index was 2.7% in the year to January 2013, unchanged for the fourth month in a row. The flash estimate of Eurozone inflation in the year to February 2013 was 1.8%, down from 2.0% in January. Topic: Economic policy, Economic situation, World economy
• Social Indicators Published 01 March 2013 | Research papers RP13/16 A compendium of the latest social statistics. This edition includes articles on: Why has crime fallen around the world?; International Year of Statistics. Topic: Crime, Statistics policy
• The History of the Parliamentary Franchise Published 01 March 2013 | Research papers RP13/14 This paper gives a history of the Parliamentary franchise and shows the incremental stages which led to universal suffrage across the UK by drawing on several of the recognised sources which have dealt with the subject and by referring to the key legislation. Topic: Elections, Electoral franchise
• MPs' Pension Scheme - 2012 onwards Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06283 This note provides an overview of MPs' pensions and current proposals for reform. Further detail on the background can be found in SN 01844 MPs Pension Scheme - background Topic: Members of Parliament, Pensions
• By-elections since 2010 General Election Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN05833 This note sets out results of by elections since the 2010 General Election. It will be updated as by-elections occur. Topic: By-elections, Election results : UK, Elections
• International Year of Statistics: Social Indicators article Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06568 A brief article on Statistics2013 - the International Year of Statistics. This is an article in the March 2013 edition of the Social Indicators research paper. Topic: Statistics policy
• Why has crime fallen around the world?: Social Indicators article Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06567 A brief examination of the possible reasons for declining crime rates. This is an article in the March 2013 edition of the Social Indicators research paper. Topic: Crime
• PIL: Living Former MPs Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN05324 A list of all known living former Members as at 28/02/2013. Topic: Members of Parliament
• North Korea: domestic developments during Kim Jong-Un’s first year in power Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06566 This note briefly surveys domestic developments in North Korea since the death of Kim Jong-Il in December 2011 and the succession of his son, Kim Jong-Un. The nuclear issue is referred to only in passing. Insofar as we can know, Kim Jong-Un appears to have consolidated power smoothly and quickly. There are signs that the new leadership wants to shift from a 'Military First' to a 'People First' policy, which will involve economic reform measures. However, there are no real signs yet of an improvement on human rights. Topic: Asia, Human rights, International economic relations, International politics and government
• The Leveson Report Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06535 This note provides pointers to the developments since publication of the report. It does not attempt to summarise the complex arguments involved or differences between the various proposals for draft legislation that have been brought forward. Topic: Media, Press
• Housing Market: Economic Indicators page Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN02820 There were 54,791 mortgage approvals in January 2013, 2% lower than December and 5% lower than January 2012. Topic: Economic situation, Housing
• Supermarkets : The Groceries Code Adjudicator Published 01 March 2013 | Standard notes SN06124 The Coalition Government is committed to establishing a new ombudsman within the Office of Fair Trading, to enforce the code of practice between the major supermarkets and their suppliers. In May 2011 the Government published a draft Bill to create the Groceries Code Adjudicator; a final Bill was introduced on 10 May 2012 as one of the first Bills of the 2012/13 Session. This note discusses the background to this proposal. Topic: Competition