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.
In Focus
In its second report, the House of Lords Commons Frameworks Scrutiny Committee considered the progress made on the UK common frameworks programme. Common frameworks are non-binding agreements between the UK and devolved governments that set out ways of working on a range of policy areas. They are required for some devolved policy areas that have been affected by Brexit. The committee raised concerns that the programme was at risk of becoming a “missed opportunity”. It made a number of recommendations, the majority of which the government has accepted.
In Focus
The Bank of England is considering whether to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the UK. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, CBDCs are digital forms of money issued and backed by a central bank. The House of Lords is due to debate a 2022 report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee which concluded that it had “yet to hear a convincing case” for why the UK needs a CBDC.
In Focus
Following successive postponements of full border controls for goods from the EU, the House of Lords European Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the subject in September 2021. Reporting two months later, the committee drew attention to the uneven trade barriers facing UK and EU exporters. The committee has since sought answers to a variety of questions, including how the government will ensure it adheres to its latest target date to implement full controls.
In Focus
The UK government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Rwanda to establish an asylum transfer scheme. Unlike treaties, MoUs are not required to be laid before Parliament prior to being ratified. In October 2022, the House of Lords International Agreements Committee published a report which criticised the government for using an MoU for the agreement. The subject is due to be debated in the House of Lords on 6 February 2023.
In Focus
By 2050, the UK is legally required to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels. An independent review considered how this ‘net zero’ target could maximise economic growth whilst also increasing energy security and affordability for consumers and businesses. The review recommended that the government takes action to ensure the UK benefits from the investment and economic growth opportunities that net zero presents.
In Focus
The government published both its integrated review of foreign, defence, security and international development policy and a defence command paper in March 2021. Alongside a list of new capabilities set to be introduced and existing equipment due to be retired, the second document set a target of reducing the size of the regular army. The government maintains that capabilities, rather than troop numbers, are of primary importance in confronting the defence and security challenges facing the UK.
In Focus
The Commission on Young Lives was an independent group formed to design a new national system to prevent crisis in vulnerable young people and to boost their life chances and educational prospects. The commission published a report in November 2022 which made recommendations to government, local authorities, police and others to tackle the “deep-rooted” problems facing vulnerable youths. The commission’s “centrepiece recommendation” was for a “sure start plus for teenagers” network of intervention and support.
In Focus
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its longest drought in 40 years. Compounded by high food prices and political instability, this has led to 36.4 million people suffering from hunger across the region, and 21.7 million requiring food assistance. Although a famine has yet to be officially declared, it is projected to occur in 2023. Humanitarian aid, including from the UK, has already been provided but there are appeals for increased support.
In Focus
National Windrush Day on 22 June 2023 will mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the passengers of the Empire Windrush to the UK. The day celebrates the contribution and achievements of the Windrush generation and their descendants. This briefing provides background information for a debate in the House of Lords on the government’s plans to mark this celebration.
In Focus
The UK government’s foreign and defence policies include a ‘tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific region. This includes developing closer collaboration with India across a range of areas. UK and India relations are framed by a mutually agreed roadmap to deepen bilateral ties by 2030 with the aim of developing a comprehensive strategic partnership.
In Focus
Friday 27 January 2023 is International Holocaust Memorial Day, marking the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland on the same day in 1945. On this annual day of commemoration, the United Nations urges every member state to honour the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism, and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.
In Focus
In March 2022, the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee published a report on net zero transformation, examining the government’s policy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The committee argued that current plans “lack the necessary level of policy detail” and proposed a range of recommendations. This article summarises the report, the government’s and Ofgem’s responses, as well as other developments concerning the UK’s net zero strategy.
In Focus
One of the tasks of the House of Lords Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee is to scrutinise EU legislative proposals that may affect Northern Ireland because of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The House of Lords is due to debate a report from the committee that summarises the first year of its work on this issue and the government’s commitment to facilitating this parliamentary scrutiny.
In Focus
In January 2022, the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report calling for the UK government to set out a “clearer vision” for the future of the UK’s union. Although it welcomed the government’s commitment to the union, it argued that a more modern style of governance was needed, and that it was “imperative” that all executives and legislatures worked “constructively and in partnership”. The government has welcomed the report and said it would consider several of its recommendations.
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