• In Focus

    The Office for Students: Proposed strategy and decision to pause applications

    The Office for Students (OfS) strategy for 2025 to 2030 establishes priorities in the areas of quality, student experience, and sector resilience. The OfS is currently pausing aspects of its regulatory functions to focus on financial sustainability among education providers. This action is supported by the government. However, critics argue the OfS’s decision will cause financial difficulties to some education providers and leave some students without the protection of the regulator.

  • In Focus

    Rape: Levels of prosecutions

    In the 2021 ‘End-to-end rape review’, the Conservative government pointed to a sharp decrease in rape prosecutions since 2016/17. Issues cited include long delays during the criminal justice process and a lack of specialist support for victims. Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto argued prosecutions were “shamefully low”. It committed to specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force and specialist courts to fast-track rape cases.

  • In Focus

    Tax implications of corporate profit shifting

    Multinational corporations may use artificial intragroup transfers and other strategies to lower their exposure to corporation tax. Following high profile examples of aggressive tax avoidance, OECD countries including the UK agreed a number of measures to reduce so-called ‘profit shifting’ and increase tax revenues globally. This included a global minimum tax for large corporations. US President Donald Trump has since signalled the US no longer agrees with the latest OECD tax agreement.

  • Research Briefing

    Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill: HL Bill 61 of 2024–25

    This government bill would enable changes to the business rates regime. It would allow the introduction of additional business rate multipliers to increase business rates for larger properties and reduce business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, and the removal of charitable rate relief from some private schools that are charities.

  • In Focus

    Terrorism in the UK: Legislation and government strategy

    The UK’s approach to counter-terrorism is set out in its strategy CONTEST, which includes the scheme Prevent. Following the Southport attack in July 2024, Keir Starmer said that the threat from terrorism had changed, and the government would be reviewing its counter-extremism systems and reforming programmes such as Prevent. He also said the government would change the law to respond to the new threat if needed.

  • In Focus

    Economic growth conditions: Discussion and debate

    Economic growth is a consequence of increases in the stocks of labour and capital and the efficiency with which factors of production are used. Economists disagree on the potential to improve conditions for growth. Optimists point to the scope for policy changes in areas such as housing and energy to lift economic growth. Pessimists argue that structural headwinds mean the economy’s weak performance of the last decade-and-a-half will persist. Beyond policy, cultural factors may also play an important role in determining the economy’s growth prospects.

  • In Focus

    Academy schools: Government plans for change

    The number of academy schools has increased significantly since 2010. In England, 43.5% of all schools were academies in the 2023/24 academic year. The government has announced plans to change the rules academy schools must follow. Some of these changes are set out in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

  • In Focus

    Climate change: Supporting farmers and growers

    Extreme rainfall and flooding in 2023 and 2024 impacted farmers and affected the supply of some domestically grown food. It is predicted that future climatic changes could impact agriculture and domestic food production, presenting both risks and opportunities. This briefing examines how the government is supporting farmers and growers to adapt to climate change.

  • In Focus

    Budget tax measures: Context for the UK’s nations and regions

    Tax measures announced in the autumn 2024 budget included reforms to agricultural property relief for inheritance tax, changes to employer national insurance contributions and the extension of VAT to private school fees. This briefing provides some context to assess the potential economic impact of these measures on the nations and regions of the UK.

  • In Focus

    Asylum accommodation support: Use of hotels

    Hotel rooms are used in certain circumstances to house asylum seekers. The Home Office has said this has been necessary to meet its legal obligations to those eligible for support at times when there is not enough space across the rest of the asylum accommodation estate. However, successive governments have stated the use of hotels is temporary and it is their policy to end reliance on them. This briefing outlines the approach of various governments to meet this commitment.

  • In Focus

    What is the current situation for healthcare in Gaza? Infrastructure damage, risks to health, and UK government response

    Gaza’s healthcare system is in crisis. Most facilities are damaged beyond use, and those remaining open face shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies. Gaza’s 1.9 million displaced people are at risk of malnutrition, starvation and the spread of infectious diseases. The UK government has called for civilians and medics to be protected, for aid and relief agencies to have consistent access, and for an end to the conflict.

  • Research Briefing

    Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 9 of 2024–25

    The Regulated and Other Activities (Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Grey-Thompson (Crossbench). It received its first reading on 29 July 2024 and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 17 January 2025.

  • In Focus

    House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill: Second reading in the House of Lords

    The government’s House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill would remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords and abolish its jurisdiction in hereditary peerage claims. The bill completed its Commons stages unamended and was introduced in the House of Lords in November 2024. The bill’s second reading in the Lords took place on 11 December 2024. This briefing provides an overview of that debate and lists the areas which future amendments could focus on.

  • Research Briefing

    Consumer Products (Control of Biocides) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 32 of 2024–25

    The Consumer Products (Control of Biocides) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party). It would restrict the use of substances with antimicrobial properties, known as biocides, in cosmetic, personal care and other treated products, for example clothing and period products, subject to certain exemptions. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading on 17 January 2025.