Research briefings

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• Population ageing: statistics Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN03228 Population ageing: statistics. By Tom Rutherford. SN/SG/3228. Topic: Older people, Pensions, Population
• Debate on 16 February: Recent Developments in the European Union Published 10 February 2012 | Library notes LLN 2012/004 This Library Note considers reaction to recent developments in the EU, ahead of the debate in the House of Lords on 16 February 2012. Topic: Economic and monetary union, EU law and treaties
• Financial Indicators: Economic Indicators page Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05207 Data on the FTSE-100 stock index, the price of oil and the price of gold. Topic: Economic situation
• Guaranteed Minimum Pension - annual increases Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN04956 Between 1978 and 1997, contracted-out defined benefit pension schemes were required to provide a Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP). This note provides a brief overview of the requirements for annually increasing the GMP. Topic: Pensions
• Local Government Finance Bill 2010-12: Committee Stage report Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN06219 This note summarises the Second Reading and Committee of the Whole House stages of the Local Government Finance Bill 2010-12. A number of Government amendments were agreed by the Committee. Topic: Local government
• Biometric passports Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN04126 This note provides some general information about the UK's "biometric” passports (also known as “ePassports”), which it began to issue in 2006. The passports include a microchip which stores a digitised image of the holder’s passport photograph as well as the biographical details printed on the passport. Non-biometric passports continue to be valid until they expire. Topic: Nationality
• Council tax: local referendums Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05682 Following the passage of the Localism Act 2011, local authorities proposing to set a council tax increase in excess of levels set by the Government will be required to seek the approval of their electorate in a referendum. This note provides further information on this subject. Topic: Local government
• Directly-elected mayors Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05000 Following the passage of the Localism Act 2011, ministerial orders providing for mayoral referendums in ten English cities on 3 May 2012 have now been approved by Parliament and made by ministers. Elections are due to take place on 15 November where voters have opted for a mayoral system. This note provides further information on this subject and lists the current mayors. Topic: Local government
• State Pension Uprating - 2010 onwards Published 10 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05649 Looks at the policy on uprating the State Pension and Pension Credit and how this is changing Topic: Pensions
• The European Union Today Published 09 February 2012 | Library notes LLN 2012/003 This Library Note provides a broad outline of the history and development of the European Union; and presents statistics comparing the EU to the US, Japan, China and Russia. Topic: EU law and treaties, Europe
• Local government finance: Social Indicators page Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN02648 Local government finance: Social Indicators page. By Matthew Keep and Gavin Berman. SN/SG/2648. Topic: Local government
• Deportation of individuals who may face a risk of torture Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN04151 International law places obligations on the UK when deporting individuals to countries where they may face a real risk of torture. Although the Refugee Convention allows refugees to be removed if they pose a risk to national security, the absolute prohibition on torture in the European Convention on Human Rights was interpreted in the case of Chahal v United Kingdom as precluding a ‘balancing act’ between a person’s national security risk and the risk that he may be tortured on return. Topic: Human rights, Immigration
• Complaints against solicitors and other lawyers Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN03762 The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints against all lawyers, including solicitors, registered in England and Wales. Anyone who is dissatisfied with the standard of service received from their lawyer should complain, in the first instance, to the lawyer concerned. If the matter cannot be resolved in this way, then a complaint may be made to the Legal Ombudsman. Topic: Legal profession
• Manufacturing: Economic Indicators page Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05206 Manufacturing output grew by 1.0% in December 2011 compared with November 2011. Manufacturing output grew by 0.8% in December 2011 compared to December 2010. Topic: Economic situation, Manufacturing industries
• Consents for Wind Farms - Onshore Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN04370 This note explains the planning procedure for wind farms and discusses why such a high proportion of onshore wind farm proposals are rejected Topic: Planning, Renewable energy
• Interest rates and inflation Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN03731 Inflation (measured by the change in the CPI) was 4.2% in December, down from 4.8% in November and above the Bank of England’s 2% target for the twenty-fifth successive month. On 9 February, the Bank of England announced that interest rates would be kept on hold at 0.5%. Topic: Economic policy, Economic situation
• Interest Rates and the Money Supply: Economic indicators page Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN02802 At their January 2012 meeting, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the Asset Purchase Programme (quantitative easing) at £275 billion. The Base Rate remains at 0.5%. Topic: Economic policy, Economic situation, Economic situation
• UK Overseas Trade (Current Account): Economic Indicators page Published 09 February 2012 | Standard notes SN02815 The overall monthly deficit on goods and services combined in December was £1.1bn, narrowing from £2.8bn in November. Topic: Economic situation, International trade
• Higher education student support across the UK regions from September 2012 Published 08 February 2012 | Standard notes SN06217 Amended 09 February 2012 Higher education is a devolved issue so the costs of studying and the amount of financial support available to students varies according to where a student lives and where the student is studying. From September 2012 the higher education student ... Topic: Higher education, Students
• Alternative procedures to bankruptcy Published 08 February 2012 | Standard notes SN05055 There are alternative options to bankruptcy that may, depending on their circumstances, provide a better outcome for both the debtor and the creditors. The main alternative procedures are: • Informal Arrangements; • Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs); • Administration Orders; • Debt Relief Orders. This note considers each of the alternative options in detail. Topic: Insolvency