Regulation

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on regulation. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
23.11.2012Simplifying Energy Tariffs
The complexity of energy tariffs makes it hard for consumers to get the best deal. In October 2012 the Prime Minister announced legislation to require energy companies to offer customers their cheapest tariff. This will be done in the Energy Bill 2012, expected before the end of November. These moves augment consultations and work that the energy regulator Ofgem has been conducting for some time now.
21.05.2012The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is a mandatory carbon emissions reporting and trading scheme for large public and private sector organisations. It is currently under review and if it cannot be simplified to produce 'very significant administrative savings' for businesses, then it will be replaced by 'an alternative environmental tax' on which the Government will consult in Autumn 2012.
08.05.2012Community Interest Companies
this document outlines the rules surrounding Community Interest compnaies and charts their growth.
16.03.2012Phoenix trading
This note looks in detail at the legality of phoenix trading and at the personal liability of the directors to the creditors of an insolvent company.

Research Papers

DateDescription
27.11.2009Financial Services Bill. Bill 6 2009-10.
This is the third piece of financial services legislation since 2007 to respond to the banking and financial crisis. It does however, include other measures designed to improve the position of financial services customers. It creates a Council for Financial Stability to co-ordinate the responsibilities and action of the Bank, FSA and Treasury with respect to financial stability matters. It enhances and extends the powers of the FSA and gives it new duties. Lastly, amongst other consumer protection measures, it provides for collective consumer legal action to be taken in cases of multiple claimants against financial companies. The Bill applies to the whole of the UK.
16.05.2008Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill [HL] 2007-08
Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill (HL) 2007-08. (Bill 103 of 2007-08). House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/46.
02.06.2006Company Law Reform Bill [HL] [Bill 190 of 2005-6]
01.03.2005Health and Safety (Directors' Duties) Bill (Bill 22 of 2004/05)
The Health and Safety (Directors' Duties) Bill. (Bill 22 of 2004/05). House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/18.
10.08.2004Companies (Audit Investigations and Community Enterprise) Bill (HL) (Bill 142 of 2003/04)
Companies (Audit Investigations and Community Enterprise) Bill (HL). House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/62.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
27.01.2012A new approach to financial regulation: securing stability, protecting consumers, including Annexes containing...
Government response. Treasury report [Commons]
10.11.2009Regulatory Reform Committee.
Regulatory Reform Select Committee report [Commons]
10.11.2009Regulatory Reform Committee.
Regulatory Reform Select Committee report [Commons]
10.11.2009Themes and trends in regulatory reform.
Government response. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; Regulatory Reform Select Committee report [Commons]
14.07.2009Themes and trends in regulatory reform.
Regulatory Reform Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
23.01.2012PAN EUROPEAN GAME INFORMATION ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
That this House notes with serious concern the present Pan European Game Information (PEGI) assessment criteria for video games rated acceptable for sale to 12-year-olds as established ...
15.03.2011FAIR TRADE FOR BRITISH FARMERS
That this House condemns the exploitation of farmers and producers across the world by companies who paybelow cost for goods produced by those who are already in poverty; celebrates ...
07.03.2011REGULATION OF LOBBYING
<p style="margin: 0mm 0mm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">That this House notes that the new register of lobbyists published on 1 March 2011 by the fledgling ...
15.07.2010TRAFFIC-LIGHT FOOD-LABELLING
That this House expresses concern at the recent European Parliament decision to reject a mandatory front-of-package traffic-light food-labelling system in favour of a per cent. guideline ...
12.07.2010REGULATION OF THE LOBBYING PROFESSION
That this House welcomes the commitment by the Coalition Government to introduce a statutory register of political lobbyists; notes that a recent ComRes survey finds that such an approach ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
19.04.2012Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill [HL] (HL Bill 139 of 2010-12)
This Library Note provides background information on the Sunday Trading (London Olympic and Paralympic Games) Bill due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 24 April 2012.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - papers compiled by the House of Lords Library on Bills and for debates in the Lords