The House of Lords Library produces briefings to support Members and the work of the House. This page provides details of all House of Lords Library research publications which are relevant to the business of the House this week.
Our work
We publish briefings on every major item of business in the House of Lords, providing Members with an essential overview of the topic, its progress in Parliament, and recent developments, to help them engage with business in the Chamber. We also produce topical and current affairs briefings, providing authoritative, up-to-date information on key topics and events.
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Browse our work by topic, from Brexit and the EU to science and the environment. Explore our most recent publications, including longer, in-depth, briefings and shorter, web-based, articles.
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The House of Lords Library provides impartial, authoritative, timely research and information to Members of the House of Lords in support of their parliamentary work.

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In Focus: latest from the Library
Read the most recent articles analysing topical issues and current affairs.
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President-elect Joe Biden is due to begin his term as US president on 20 January 2021. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and heightened security concerns, his inauguration is likely to look different to those before. This article outlines some key information about presidential inaugurations in the US and looks at how recent events may impact this year’s ceremony.
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Since 1 January 2021, the UK has been operating a new points-based immigration system. Critics suggest that human trafficking and human smuggling could increase under this system. This article explores two of these concerns.
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This article analyses the new peers announced in December 2020 by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the 79 peers he has appointed in total since taking office.

Coronavirus research
Read the latest coronavirus (Covid-19) analysis from Parliament.
Research Briefings: latest from the Library
Analysis on legislation before the House of Lords, debates and topical affairs.
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What have been the largest ever votes in the House of Lords? This briefing provides a list of divisions since 1999 where 500 or more Members have voted.
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On 18 March 2020, the Government introduced the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill in the House of Commons. It completed report stage and third reading in the Commons on 3 November 2020. Second reading in the House of Lords is scheduled to take place on 20 January 2021.
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This government bill seeks to increase awareness of domestic abuse, strengthen support for victims and improve the effectiveness of the justice system. The bill includes provisions on several areas. It includes a new definition of domestic abuse, extra protection for victims and witnesses in court, and codifies the principle that consent to offences involving violent or abusive behaviour is not a defence.
Browse by publication type
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In-depth analysis on legislation before the House of Lords, debates and topical affairs. Longer, more in-depth briefings in PDF format.
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Shorter, web-based articles analysing topical issues and current affairs.
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A monthly round-up of specialised press, blog and journal articles on a variety of subjects.