Research briefings

This page provides access to research briefings produced by the House of Commons Library, the House of Lords Library and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). You can filter the research briefings by date, type, or one of 350 topics. Pick your options from the dropdown menus.

Brexit: impact across policy areas

Published Friday, August 26, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7213

This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the situation in a range of policy areas and considers what impact Brexit might have. This will depend, among other things, on the Brexit negotiations, whether the UK stays in the European Economic Area and how the Government fills any policy gaps left by withdrawal.

Topics: Administration of justice, Agriculture, Arts, Aviation, Business support, Civil law, Climate change, Common Agricultural Policy, Companies, Competition, Consumers, Criminal law, Defence equipment and procurement, Defence policy, Economic and monetary union, Economic policy, Economic situation, Employment, Energy, Environmental protection, EU budget, EU defence policy, EU enlargement, EU external relations, EU grants and loans, EU institutions, EU law and treaties, EU political integration, Europe, Financial institutions, Financial services, Fisheries, Health services, Health staff and professions, Higher education, Housing benefits, Human rights, Immigration, Industrial health and safety, Industrial relations, Industry, International development, International economic relations, International law, International organisations, International trade, Media, Medicine, Military operations, Nationality, Patient rights and complaints, Pensions, Pollution, Railways, Regulation, Research and innovation, Shipping, Sports and Olympic Games, Standards, Students, Taxation, Terrorism, Waste management, Water

Commons Library analysis: Energy Storage in the UK

Published Thursday, July 21, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7621

Energy storage is expected to play an increasing role in managing an increasingly decentralised electricity grid in the next few years.

Topics: Climate change, Electricity, Energy, Renewable energy, Utilities

Ban on the manufacture, sale, possession and use of snares

Published Tuesday, July 19, 2016 | Commons Debate packs CDP-2016-0148

This pack has been produced ahead of the debate to be held on Thursday 21 July 2016 on a ban on the manufacture, sale, possession and use of snares. The topic for this debate has been nominated by the Backbench Business Committee. The debate will be introduced by Jim Dowd MP on the motion: That this House notes the indiscriminate and cruel nature of snares, the failure of previous attempts at voluntary and self-regulation amongst operators, and the continued suffering caused to thousands of animals every year by these traps; and calls on the Government to implement a full ban on the manufacture, sale, possession and use of snares at the earliest opportunity.

Topics: Animal welfare, Countryside

Sources of Statistics: Environment

Published Wednesday, July 13, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN07123

This introductory guide provides sources of statistics on the environment.

Topics: Climate change, Energy, Energy conservation, Environmental protection, Pollution

Sources of Statistics: Energy

Published Wednesday, July 13, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN03841

This introductory guide provides sources of statistics on energy in the UK.

Topics: Climate change, Environmental protection, Fuel poverty, Nuclear power, Oil, petrol and natural gas, Pollution, Renewable energy, Sustainable development, Waste management

Sources of Statistics 2016

Published Wednesday, July 13, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7637

This briefing paper brings together sources of statistics on subject areas covered by the Economic Policy & Statistics and Social & General Statistics sections of the House of Commons Library. In doing so it draws upon the knowledge of Library specialists, aiming to provide comprehensive topic-by-topic guides for use by anyone interested in the statistical series that underpin the United Kingdom.

Topics: Agriculture, Benefits administration, Charities, Civil Service, Crime, Defence expenditure, Economic policy, Economic situation, Elections, Energy, Environmental protection, Health services, Housing, Immigration, Local government, Parliament, Schools

Broadband in Wales

Published Monday, July 4, 2016 | Commons Debate packs CDP-2016-0132

This debate pack has been prepared ahead of the debate on broadband in Wales to be held in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 6 July at 2.30pm. Mr Mark Williams MP initiated the debate.

Topics: Consumers, Information technology, Internet and cybercrime, Utilities

Ceramic and Brick Industries

Published Monday, June 13, 2016 | Commons Debate packs CDP-2016-0124

This pack has been prepared ahead of the debate on ceramic and brick industries to take place in Westminster Hall on 15 June 2016. The subject for the debate has been chosen by Wendy Morton MP.

Topics: Employment, Environmental protection, Manufacturing industries

Marine Microplastic Pollution

Published Sunday, June 5, 2016 | POSTnotes POST-PN-0528

Plastic pollution is accumulating rapidly in the world’s oceans. The potential effects of microplastics on the environment and human health are an area of active research. This POSTnote summarises their sources and spread, the evidence that they present a risk and possible strategies to reduce plastic pollution.

Topics: Fisheries, Marine environment, Pollution, Waste management

Queen's Speech 2016 Day 4: Economic Affairs, Energy, Environment, Local Government and Transport

Published Thursday, May 12, 2016 | Lords Library notes LLN-2016-0025

The House of Lords is due to debate the Queen’s Speech over four days between 19 and 25 May 2016. This briefing is one of four prepared by the House of Lords Library to cover the themes of each day of debate.

Topics: Animal welfare, Animals, Buses, Countryside, Economic policy, Energy, Financial institutions, Financial services, Homelessness, Local government, Nature conservation, Planning, Public expenditure, Railways, Taxation, Wildlife

The Warm Home Discount Scheme

Published Thursday, May 5, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN05956

This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the Warm Home Discount scheme (WHD). The scheme started on 1 April 2011 and was originally programmed to end on 31 March 2015. Since then it has been extended twice first until 2015/16 and most recently until 2020/21.

Topics: Electricity, Energy, Fuel poverty, Older people, Utilities

Rural Economy: Key Statistics and Recent Developments

Published Friday, April 22, 2016 | Lords Library notes LLN-2016-0020

This Lords Library briefing provides key statistics on the rural economy and a summary recent developments.

Topics: Agriculture, Countryside, Economic situation, Employment, Food, Tourism

UK Dairy Industry: Current Issues and Challenges

Published Tuesday, April 19, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7564

UK dairy farmers continue to highlight their financial difficulties with government as low milk prices remain. Policy action has been taken at EU and UK level to assist and the dairy industry is also seeking to improve its ability to weather future volatility in global markets.

Topics: Agriculture, Countryside, Food

Competition and Markets Authority "Energy market investigation"

Published Friday, April 15, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7543

This Commons Library Briefing paper summarises the 'Summary of provisional decision on remedies' published by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its 'Energy market investigation' on 10 March 2016.

Topics: Competition, Electricity, Energy, Oil, petrol and natural gas, Regulation, Utilities

British Summer Time

Published Thursday, March 10, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN03796

For a number of years there have been calls to change clock times in the UK, so that more daylight would be experienced in the evenings rather than mornings throughout the year. The issue continues to be regularly raised in Parliament. This Briefing Paper provides an overview of the pros and cons of British Summer Time and proposals for further changes to clock times. It also summarises recent legislative attempts to change clock times in the UK.

Topics: Agriculture, Climate change, Countryside, Energy, Energy conservation, EU law and treaties, International trade, Leisure, Standards, Tourism

Debate pack: BT broadband provision for local businesses

Published Wednesday, March 9, 2016 | Commons Debate packs CDP-2016-0062

This page has been prepared ahead of the debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 10 March at 1.30pm on BT broadband provision for local businesses. The Member in charge is Helen Goodman. It includes a brief summary and some useful links for further reading. The House of Commons Library prepares a briefing in hard copy and/or online for most non-legislative debates in the Chamber and Westminster Hall other than half-hour debates. Debate Packs are produced quickly after the announcement of parliamentary business. They are intended to provide a summary or overview of the issue being debated and identify relevant briefings and useful documents, including press and parliamentary material. More detailed briefing can be prepared for Members on request to the Library.

Topics: Companies, Consumers, Small businesses, Telecommunications, Utilities

Debate Pack: Conservation of sea bass

Published Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | Commons Debate packs CDP-2016-0042

This pack has been prepared ahead of the debate on Conservation of sea bass and the effect of related EU measures on the UK recreational fishing industry to take place in the Commons Chamber on Thursday 11 February 2016. The subject for the debate has been chosen by the Backbench Business Committee and will be on the motion 'That this House believes that the recent EU restrictions on recreational sea bass fishing are unfair and fail to address the real threat to the future viability of UK sea bass stocks; and calls on the Government to make representations within the Council of the EU on the reconsideration of the imposition of those restrictions.'

Topics: Environmental protection, Fisheries, Marine environment, Sports and Olympic Games

UK and European sea bass conservation measures

Published Wednesday, February 10, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers SN00745

Seabass - an important fish species for commercial fishermen and recreational anglers. This note addresses issues around seabass Minimum Landing Size, stock management and current Government policy, and the emergency conservation measures in 2015/16

Topics: Environmental protection, Fisheries, Marine environment, Sports and Olympic Games

Competition in energy markets in Great Britain

Published Tuesday, January 5, 2016 | Commons Briefing papers CBP-7243

This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the history of political and regulatory intervention designed to increase the competiveness of domestic energy markets in Great Britain. The Paper sets out the timetable for the Energy Market Investigation and summarises the provisional findings that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published. The paper also summarises the main actions that Ofgem has undertaken in the past to tackle the level and complexity of tariffs.

Topics: Competition, Electricity, Energy, Fuel poverty, Oil, petrol and natural gas, Regulation, Utilities

Trends in the Environment

Published Tuesday, January 5, 2016 | POSTnotes POST-PN-0516

Human activities interact with natural systems in complex ways; they can cause long-term damage to systems humans are dependent on. This POSTnote summarises a range of such pressures on the environment. It also identifies a number of trends and their effects on the UK.

Topics: Climate change, Environmental protection, Fisheries, Forestry, Pollution, Waste management, Water

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