Health care services for neurological conditions

Neurology organisations have reported a “neurology workforce crisis” in recent years. The UK has fewer neurology consultants when compared to other high-income countries, recent data has shown. This has led to concerns about the impact on people with neurological conditions receiving timely access to health and care services. This briefing considers the latest neurology workforce and waiting times data, in addition to recent action taken to improve neurological care.

Health care services for neurological conditions

House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report: Catapults

In November 2020, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee published the ‘Catapults: Bridging the gap between research and industry’ report. This considered the role technology and innovation catapults have played in encouraging investment and collaborations in UK innovation. The committee made several recommendations, including making certain changes to the catapult funding framework. The House of Lords is scheduled to consider the report and recent developments on 19 May 2022.

House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report: Catapults

Queen’s Speech 2022: Justice

The Queen’s Speech is taking place on 10 May 2022. This will set out the Government’s legislative and policy programme for the new parliamentary session. This article provides a summary of legislative and policy proposals for justice, including a draft victims bill and parole system reform.

Queen’s Speech 2022: Justice

  • In Focus

    Queen’s Speech 2022: Constitution

    The Queen’s Speech is taking place on 10 May 2022. This will set out the Government’s legislative and policy programme for the new parliamentary session. This briefing provides a summary of legislative proposals concerning the constitution and other announcements that may be included in the speech.

  • In Focus

    Finance Bill Sub-Committee report: off-payroll working

    In April 2020, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee published the ‘Off-Payroll Working: Treating People Fairly’ report. This made several recommendations to the Government, including considering alternative options to the off-payroll working rules. The House of Lords is scheduled to consider the report and recent developments on 27 April 2022.

  • In Focus

    International Women’s Day 2022: gender gaps across the world

    Despite years of international attention on the issue, global gender gaps remain. Data published by the World Economic Forum in 2021 showed that global gender gaps remained in education, health, economics and politics. This article looks at findings from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women and girls.

  • In Focus

    Older workers in the UK

    Recent labour market figures show a record number of job vacancies and increased economic activity in the UK. It has been suggested that one reason for this could be that older workers are leaving the workforce at a higher rate than before. This article considers how the pandemic has impacted older workers and what actions the Government has taken.

  • In Focus

    Peerages: can they be removed?

    In February 2022, Lord Ahmed received a prison sentence following a criminal conviction. He resigned from the House of Lords in November 2020. Despite the conviction, sentencing and resignation, his title remains. A victim has now called on the Government to remove Lord Ahmed’s life peerage. This article looks at what peerages are, and how they can be removed.

  • In Focus

    Reforming the Human Rights Act 1998

    The Human Rights Act 1998 set out human rights protection from the European Convention on Human Rights in UK law. The impact of the act on parliamentary sovereignty and the criminal justice system, amongst other things, has been increasingly considered. Following several years of debate, the Government has recently revealed its plans to replace the act with a new British bill of rights.

  • Research Briefing

    Judicial Review and Courts Bill

    This government bill would make several changes to judicial review and introduce new procedural measures in criminal courts, employment tribunals and coroner’s courts, amongst others. According to the Government, the bill would strengthen judicial review, modernise the court and tribunal system, and help to address case backlogs caused by the pandemic.

  • In Focus

    Electric scooter regulation: should the law be changed?

    According to UK law, electric scooters can only be used on private land. However, the Government is considering whether the law should be changed. As part of this consideration, the Department for Transport introduced legislation in July 2020 to enable rental e-scooter trials to take place on public roads and cycle lanes across the UK. The Government awaits the outcome of these trials before making a decision on whether to change the law.

  • In Focus

    British passports, citizenship, and barriers for people born in the Republic of Ireland

    A person is eligible to apply for a British passport if they have British nationality. This includes a person who has British citizenship. Discussions have increased recently about how Irish citizens who were not born in Northern Ireland, but who are now resident there, can obtain British passports without cost. This article considers the eligibility criteria for a British passport, the citizenship process, and recent parliamentary scrutiny of the issue.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19: motions to approve statutory instruments relating to public health

    On 8 December 2021, the Government announced that England would move to ‘plan B’ of its Covid-19 response. This followed concerns about the increased spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant in the UK. Plan B consists of several measures that the Government is now seeking to implement. The House of Lords is due to consider some of these measures on 15 December 2021.

  • In Focus

    Motion to annul temporary relaxation of HGV driving time limits and rest patterns

    Between 12 July and 31 October 2021, the Government temporarily relaxed the enforcement of retained EU law that sets the driving time limits and rest patterns of heavy goods vehicle drivers. This was in response to disruption caused by the HGV driver shortage and the Covid-19 pandemic, amongst other things. The Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Temporary Exceptions) (No. 4) Regulations 2021 extends this temporary relaxation from 1 November 2021 until 11.59pm on 9 January 2022. On 6 December 2021, the House of Lords will debate a motion to annul this instrument.

Total results (page 1 of 5)