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In Focus
Healthcare students: Tuition fees and student debt
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been argued that the Government should change student finance arrangements for some healthcare students. This article focuses on this request, the Government’s response and how student finance currently works.
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In Focus
Covid-19: The impact on human trafficking
This article looks at how much is known about the relationship between coronavirus and human trafficking, and what actions the Government has taken so far to provide support during the pandemic.
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In Focus
Children in poverty in working households
A range of data is available to measure child poverty. This article looks at official statistics on children in low income households with someone in work. It then considers Government policy in the area, and also discusses the possible impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Child poverty in working households is the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 15 July 2020.
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In Focus
Accusations of racism in the Metropolitan Police Service
This article looks at accusations of racism in the Metropolitan Police Service, both towards officers and in its interactions with the public. The action being taken to address racism in the Metropolitan Police Service is the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 15 July 2020.
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In Focus
Black Lives Matter: New race inequalities commission and a London statue review
The Black Lives Matter protests have provoked responses from both national and local public authorities across the UK. This article summarises developments in two issues. First, the Government’s announcement of a fresh review into race and ethnic disparities; and second, the controversy about statues.
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In Focus
Restricting use of plastics: New government regulations
From October 2020, the Government plans to restrict the supply of certain single-use plastics. This article discusses the regulations which would provide for this change.
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In Focus
Independent Monitoring Authority: Duties in Northern Ireland
The Draft Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Section 75—Designation of Public Authority) Order 2020 relates to Brexit. It would designate the newly created Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements as a “public authority” for the purposes of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and therefore subject to certain statutory equality duties. The House of Lords is due to debate the order on 8 July 2020.
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In Focus
Face coverings on public transport: Parliamentary approval of Covid-19 regulations
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK Government introduced a new requirement that passengers on public transport wear facial coverings. This measure was intended to prevent the spread of the virus. This article looks at the regulations establishing this requirement, due to be debated in the House of Lords on 8 July 2020.
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In Focus
Covid-19: Financial stability of local government
This article focuses on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the financial stability of local government. It considers how the pandemic has affected local government finances and how the Government has responded.
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In Focus
TV licences for the over-75s
This article explores changes to the entitlement to free TV licences for the over 75s, and how the timetable for implementing this has been extended because of the coronavirus outbreak.
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In Focus
Coronavirus: Temporary student number controls for higher education providers
In June 2020, the Government announced that as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic it would be introducing temporary student number controls for higher education providers linked to the student finance system. This article focuses on the regulations that would provide for this change.
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In Focus
Coronavirus: What is the Government doing to support high street retailers?
This article provides statistics on the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on high street retail sales between March and June 2020. It also summarises the debate over the Government’s package of economic support for retailers, such as the coronavirus job retention scheme and a range of other loans and grants.
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In Focus
UK import restrictions: Controlling the spread of Xylella
Xylella fastidiosa is a bacteria that can cause severe disease and death in certain plants. This article explains what the disease is and discusses recent restrictions on plant imports that the UK Government has imposed to reduce the risk of it being introduced to the UK. Xylella is due to be the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 8 July 2020.
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In Focus
Covid-19 vaccine: Where are we?
This article looks at the current candidates for a Covid-19 vaccine, focusing on the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca project, and the Moderna candidate from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The article highlights the new mRNA technology being developed in some projects. It also looks at what the Government is doing to support vaccine development.
Total results (page 12 of 17)