This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information to mark the upcoming World Cities Day on 31 October 2019.
World Cities Day (189 KB , PDF)
In 2013, the United Nations designated 31 October as annual World Cities Day. The day is intended to promote interest in urbanisation and cooperation in meeting the challenges it brings. In 2019, the theme of the day is how innovation and technological progress can be used to promote sustainable development in cities.
This briefing first provides background on the growth of cities and the challenges and opportunities this presents. It then considers what the UN means by sustainable development, and the framework which the UN has adopted to promote it. The briefing next looks at the possible impact of new technologies. Finally, it summarises the UK approach to promoting sustainable global urban development.
World Cities Day (189 KB , PDF)
In January 2021, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee published a report arguing action is required to increase healthy life expectancy. The Government plans to address disparities in life expectancy as part of its levelling up agenda. The House of Lords is due to debate the report on 20 October 2021.
The UK’s relationship with Iran has been under pressure from several significant issues, including trying to restore the Iran nuclear deal and Iran’s detention of British-Iranian dual nationals. The Iran nuclear deal was designed to limit Iran’s non-civilian nuclear development in return for sanctions relief. The agreement has been strained since the US withdrew in 2018 and Iran started to breach it. This briefing looks at the UK Government’s policy on these two issues.
This private member’s bill would seek to improve the provision for leave to enter or remain in the UK granted to family members of refugees and of people granted humanitarian protection; and to provide for legal aid to be made available in such cases. The bill is scheduled to have its second reading on 10 September 2021.
![Refugees (Family Reunion) Bill [HL]](https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/kyle-glenn-nXt5HtLmlgE-unsplash-1-1232x924.jpg)
