In Focus
This article explores the impact of cost of living pressures on housing costs. Higher inflation, interest rates and rents, coupled with a decline in average real-terms earnings, have increased housing costs for many people. Evidence suggests that the impact is being felt across all housing tenure types, but that tenants in the private and social rented sectors have been most adversely affected.
In Focus
The Barnett formula calculates the yearly change to the block grant; this is the largest of the grants provided to the devolved administrations by the UK government. The formula aims to give each nation the same pounds-per-person change in funding each year. However, criticisms about equity have been made regarding how the formula is calculated. Calls for reform have mainly focused on proposals to introduce a universal needs-based factor to the formula.
In Focus
The Israel-Palestine conflict has seen increased violence in 2023. Despite a joint Israeli-Palestinian commitment announced on 26 February 2023 to work towards ending the violence, concerns have been raised about the feasibility of the commitment. This article looks at recent developments in the region and statements, including from the UK and international community, focused on ending the conflict.
In Focus
In its latest global gender gap report, published in July 2022, the World Economic Forum found that the global gender gap had slightly narrowed between 2021 and 2022. Despite this, it contended that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused a “generational loss” in closing the gap. This article details the findings of the report and some of the actions taken by the government to try to support the education of women and girls in the UK and worldwide.
In Focus
The Dunlop review examined whether UK government structures were set up to “realise fully all the benefits of being a United Kingdom”. Its report, published in March 2021, made recommendations on reforms the UK government should make to the machinery of government and the civil service to strengthen the working of the union. This article looks at how its recommendations have been taken forward.
In Focus
There are several challenges facing the delivery of health care in rural areas, including generally older populations, larger distances to cover, and poor connectivity (of both transport and telecommunications). The government has said it is addressing these issues through its levelling up agenda and has introduced policies such as the community pharmacist consultation service to support community pharmacies in rural areas.
In Focus
The UK and Iran have long had a complex and difficult relationship. There have been long-standing tensions over Iran’s nuclear activity, its destabilising activities in the Middle East and the arbitrary detention of dual nationals. But these have been exacerbated in recent months by widespread human rights abuses as the regime in Tehran looks to quell unrest at home, supplies drones to Russia for use in Ukraine and plans extraterritorial abductions and killings abroad, including within the UK.
In Focus
Police and crime panels are local bodies that scrutinise police and crime commissioners in England and Wales. There have been some concerns that they lack the right resources, training and powers to carry out the role effectively. A recent government review concluded they had the right powers at their disposal. Following the review, the government updated guidance for panel members and support officers.
In Focus
Food prices have risen sharply over the course of 2022 both in the UK and around the world. Although inflation is predicted to decline in 2023, concerns remain that food prices will remain high. This article explores changes to food prices and their impact on the cost of living.
In Focus
In November 2022 the government announced a new review of the efficiency of departmental spending. The government has said that savings from the latest review will allow spending to be focused on priority areas, but some parliamentarians have cautioned that the drive for efficiency savings could lead to counterproductive side effects. This article looks at the reaction to the announcement of the latest review.
In Focus
On 1 July 1972 the UK’s first Pride march was held in London. This date was chosen as the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of the riots, or uprising, at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, where LGBT+ patrons had been targeted by the New York Police Department. Liberation organisations were inspired to action, and Pride marches have since become annual events throughout the UK and around the world. This LGBT+ history month, this article explores 50 years of Pride.
In Focus
Capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial processes to prevent it entering the atmosphere has been put forward as one approach to help the world reduce carbon emissions to net zero and mitigate against climate change. This article looks at carbon dioxide capture and storage in more detail.
In Focus
In December 2021, the House of Lords National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee published a report examining participation in sports and recreation across the UK population. In its report, the committee expressed concern at the high levels of physical inactivity at grassroots level, particularly amongst underrepresented groups such as disabled people and ethnic minorities. It made several recommendations to address this, including calling on the government to develop a new plan for sport, health and wellbeing.
In Focus
In January 2022, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee published its report on the role of nature-based solutions in mitigating climate change and achieving net zero by 2050. It argued that whilst the government’s plans for nature-based solutions were “ambitious”, they were at “severe risk of failure”. Therefore, it proposed several recommendations, including calling for increases to the budgets of public bodies tasked with delivering nature-based solutions.
In Focus
24 February 2023 will mark the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This article considers the current state of the conflict and its impact on Ukraine, the role of the UK and other allies supporting Ukraine, and how the situation might develop.
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