• In Focus

    Current state of the Organization for Security and Co-operation

    The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is a multilateral institution, which deals with a wide range of security-related issues including conflict prevention, human rights and economic and environmental activities. It is described as a forum for political dialogue and joint action. Its decisions are not legally binding and are taken by consensus on a political basis. However, the war in Ukraine has raised questions over its future role.

  • 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

    Reforming children’s social care: Public Services Committee inquiry

    In February 2023, the government opened a consultation on its new children’s social care strategy. The House of Lords Public Services Committee held a short inquiry to gather evidence on the proposed reforms. Although the committee largely welcomed the strategy’s focus on creating stable homes and using family networks, it raised concerns including around funding and the scale and pace of reforms.

  • In Focus

    Fast-tracking legislation

    Fast-tracked bills are those which complete all their parliamentary stages in a shortened timescale. Reasons for using the process include correcting an error in legislation or responding to unforeseen circumstances. However, issues such as pressure on the procedural process and a lack of parliamentary scrutiny have been identified with fast-tracking. This article explores how and why bills are fast-tracked.

  • In Focus

    Value added tax (VAT) at 50

    The 50th anniversary of the UK’s value added tax (VAT) occurred on 1 April 2023. VAT was introduced in anticipation of the UK’s entry to the European Economic Community and has since become one of the government’s largest revenue raisers. This article examines the history of VAT and the debate about how it has developed.

  • In Focus

    Family migration: Justice and Home Affairs Committee report

    This briefing summarises the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee report on family migration, and the government’s response to the report. Stressing the importance of family life, the committee made a number of recommendations to make family migration pathways simpler and more flexible. However, the government defended how family migration was managed, saying that it balanced the need to protect public finances whilst providing pathways to many that need them.

  • In Focus

    Improving schools’ performance: Are multi-academy trusts the answer?

    Academy schools have grown significantly in number since the beginning of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010. In 2023, the government reiterated its support for academies, stating that it wants to “ensure all pupils and schools benefit from being in a high-quality multi-academy trust”. This article explores the development of government policy on academies and the extent to which multi-academy trusts help under-performing schools.

  • In Focus

    The future UK-EU relationship: Report by the House of Lords European Affairs Committee

    Since the Windsor Framework was agreed in February 2023, the UK and the EU agree their relationship has been on a positive trajectory. In light of this, a recent House of Lords committee report made recommendations about further opportunities for UK-EU cooperation on foreign policy, defence and security, energy security, climate change and mobility of people.

  • In Focus

    Private parking code of practice: Latest developments

    The government “temporarily” withdrew the private parking code of practice in June 2022. This statutory guidance included a cap on the level of parking charges operators of private parking facilities could issue to motorists, as well as the removal of additional fees they could impose at the debt recovery stage. The government has since published a draft impact assessment and launched a call for evidence to review the impact of these provisions on operators.

  • In Focus

    Climate change-induced migration: UK collaboration with international partners

    Climate change is likely to increase migration flows over the coming decades. Increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events are expected to increase “forcible displacements”, and the “slow-onset” impacts of climate change are expected to make the hardest hit regions uninhabitable. The UK is involved with several international forums which aim to discuss and cooperate on these issues.

  • In Focus

    Horseracing industry: Government support and recent developments

    Horseracing is the second largest sport in the UK in terms of attendance and revenues generated. However, the horseracing industry faces several challenges, including declining attendances and lower prize money levels compared with international competitors. This article summarises the government support provided to the racing industry, the proposed reforms in the government’s gambling white paper of April 2023, and the reaction to protests at racecourses over the summer of 2023.

  • In Focus

    Abraham Accords: UK government policy

    In September 2020, following US-sponsored talks, representatives from Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords at the White House in Washington DC. These comprised a declaration and bilateral agreements to normalise diplomatic relations, making the UAE and Bahrain the third and fourth Arab states to recognise Israel. Morocco later signed the accords, and Sudan signed the declaration. The UK government supports the accords.

  • In Focus

    Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework: Reports by the House of Lords Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee

    A House of Lords committee found in July 2022 that the Northern Ireland Protocol was affecting Northern Ireland businesses differently depending on whether they traded mostly with Great Britain or with Ireland and the EU. A year later, the same committee found the Windsor Framework, which amended the protocol in February 2023, was an improvement on the protocol as originally negotiated, but has not solved all the problems associated with it.

  • 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

    UK defence policy and the role of the armed forces

    The UK’s defence policy has been set in the context of a changing international situation. In 2023 the government refreshed both its 2021 integrated review and its 2021 defence command paper, which set the strategic aims for the UK’s international relations and its defence policy. On 7 September 2023 the House of Lords is due to debate the following motion: “Lord Soames (Conservative) to move that this House takes note of the role of the armed forces and the UK’s defence policy”.

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