• In Focus

    Water and sewage companies: Executive remuneration

    Following concern over several issues including pollution and poor customer service, the remuneration of senior executives in the water industry has come under scrutiny. Ofwat, the economic regulator of the sector, has announced tighter measures on water company executive bonuses when they have not been sufficiently earned. Ofwat is also to consult on measures to ban water company executives from receiving bonuses if a company has committed serious criminal breaches.

  • In Focus

    Questions to the foreign secretary: 13 February 2024

    Members of the House of Lords will ask Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton a series of oral questions on 13 February 2024. These include what discussions the government has had with partners on a strategy to reduce debt in the developing world; what the UK is doing to protect children in Gaza; what progress the government has made in implementing the AUKUS security partnership; and UK-US discussions on recognising a Palestinian state.

  • In Focus

    Humanitarian situation in Gaza

    The ongoing crisis in Gaza is having a critical impact on the civilian population. Casualty figures are rising on a daily basis, and hunger and disease are becoming increasingly prevalent as civilian infrastructure is destroyed and supplies of aid struggle to enter the territory. The UK government continues to call for an immediate pause to allow for the provision of more aid, and for all sides to work towards a lasting solution.

  • In Focus

    Holocaust Memorial Day 2024

    On 27 January 2024, the UK will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. This year’s theme, as chosen by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, is ‘Fragility of freedom’. This year’s event takes place at the same time as a significant reported rise in the number of both antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents in the UK, seemingly in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

  • In Focus

    Ukraine update: January 2024

    The war in Ukraine continues against a backdrop of escalating Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure and population centres. Fighting remains intense on the front lines, though neither side has been able to achieve a strategically significant breakthrough. There are fears that Russia may be willing to sustain a long and protracted conflict, not least in the hope that international support for Ukraine will decline. The UK has remained one of Ukraine’s most prominent backers and has recently pledged further military aid.

  • In Focus

    Questions to the foreign secretary: 16 January 2024

    Members of the House of Lords will ask Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton a series of oral questions on 16 January 2024. These include what steps the UK government is taking to address the Rohingya refugee crisis; what progress has been made towards securing a ceasefire in Gaza; how the government is promoting implementation of the UN sustainable development goals; and how the UK is championing a rules-based international order.

  • In Focus

    Dementia care

    Growing numbers of people in the UK suffer from dementia. Because dementia costs are often associated with social care needs, as opposed to medical treatment, those with dementia are often required to fund the cost of their own care. This has led to calls for more parity between health and social care where dementia is concerned. The government has committed to significant reform of the funding thresholds for social care in England, but these are now not expected until 2025.

  • In Focus

    North Korea: A threat to global security?

    North Korea continues to develop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes in defiance of international sanctions. Long viewed as a threat to regional stability, there are growing fears that these new capabilities mean that North Korea’s aggressive military posture could now pose a risk to global security. This briefing examines those issues and the response of the international community ahead of a forthcoming debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Educational technology: Digital innovation and AI in schools

    The usage of educational technology in UK schools is already growing and likely to increase significantly in coming years, particularly as a result of the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Many commentators suggest that these technologies present significant opportunities but also substantial risks. This briefing examines these issues ahead of a forthcoming debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Ukraine update: September 2023

    Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now lasted for more than 560 days. The promised Ukrainian counteroffensive is underway and, despite recent gains, has made slower progress than Ukraine and its Western allies may have hoped. Some commentators have suggested that the operation may be crucial to the direction of the war and its eventual outcome. This briefing examines a range of issues including the status of the counteroffensive and Russia’s strategic moves as it seeks to combat the impact of Western sanctions.

  • In Focus

    Teaching citizenship and life skills in schools

    Citizenship education is included in the national curriculum for secondary schools in England (and therefore compulsory in maintained schools) and forms part of a non-statutory framework in primary schools. Skills such as financial capability are also delivered through non-statutory personal, social, health and economic education. However, there have been several calls to strengthen citizenship and life skills education in schools, including from two recent parliamentary inquiries. This article examines those issues ahead of a forthcoming debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Artificial intelligence: Development, risks and regulation

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at a rapid pace. From generative language models like ChatGPT to advances in medical screening technology, policymakers and the developers of the technology alike believe that it could deliver fundamental change across almost every area of our lives. But such change is not without risk. Debate is ongoing on how best to regulate these innovative technologies and differences of approach have already emerged internationally as countries across the world examine how best to adapt.

  • In Focus

    Licensing Act 2003: Liaison committee post-legislative scrutiny

    In July 2022, the House of Lords Liaison Committee published a follow-up report on the work of the Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003. The original committee examined the operation of the 2003 act, which made significant changes to the legal regime governing the sale of alcohol. In its follow-up, the Liaison committee said that many flaws in the licensing regime found by the select committee remained and that more needed to be done to ensure it operated effectively.

  • In Focus

    Transport investment: Bus and rail

    The government has committed to significant reform of the rail and bus sectors. As part of that reform, it has provided funding to help these services recover from the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and for capital expenditure. However, a recent government statement announced that some of these commitments, particularly around HS2, would be delayed in the light of current inflationary and cost pressures.

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