• In Focus

    Afghanistan: hunger, poverty, and resettlement efforts

    Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country is on the brink of a humanitarian and economic crisis. United Nations agencies report that significant proportions of the population are at risk from malnutrition, particularly young children, and as much as 97% of the population could fall below the poverty line. At the same time, many Afghans continue to seek to leave Afghanistan and the UK is engaged in efforts to resettle those who qualify to come to the country via several schemes. However, the key Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is yet to commence operations.

  • In Focus

    Detention of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

    British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Iran since 2016. The UK Government has called her detention arbitrary and has lobbied the Iranian Government for her release. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, and her MP, Tulip Siddiq, have called on the Government to do more to secure her freedom.

  • In Focus

    Misogyny: a new hate crime?

    ‘Hate crime’ is used to describe a range of criminal behaviour that a victim or other person perceives to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity. These aspects of a person’s identity are referred to as ‘protected characteristics’. There have been recent calls to extend the protected characteristics to cover sex and gender. This would see misogyny become a hate crime.

  • In Focus

    Freedom of speech in universities

    Discussions regarding freedom of speech in universities have become increasingly prominent in recent years. A Government bill which seeks to “strengthen freedom of speech and academic freedom in higher education” is currently in the House of Commons. Critics of the bill have suggested that there is little evidence to suggest freedom of speech in universities is under threat; an opposition amendment seeking to prevent the bill’s passage was defeated at second reading.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19 pandemic: impact on people with disabilities

    3 December 2021 is the International Day of People with Disabilities. Edward Scott explores the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people with disabilities in the UK, including issues concerning access to services and the economic impact of the pandemic. This article also summarises the Government’s recent proposals for reform to benefits and employment support for people with disabilities.

  • In Focus

    Migrants arriving in the UK by boat

    The number of undocumented migrants arriving in the UK by boat has been increasing since 2018. The Government has described such journeys as unsafe and unacceptable. The Nationality and Borders Bill includes measures aimed at deterring crossings. Critics such as the Refugee Council have alleged the bill will ‘unjustly’ subject refugees arriving without leave to differential treatment compared with those who arrive by other means.

  • In Focus

    Modern slavery in UK supply chains

    Concerns have been raised about modern slavery and forced labour in the supply chains of UK businesses. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 places duties on companies to report on the steps they are taking to eradicate slavery from their business. This article analyses the impact of the reporting requirements and the progress the Government has made in meeting its commitments to strengthen the act’s provisions.

  • In Focus

    Haiti: political upheaval and natural disaster

    Haiti is recovering from a series of crises, notably the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse, on 7 July 2021, and an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 in south-western Haiti on 14 August 2021. The earthquake killed more than 2,240 people and injured some 12,700 others. This article examines some of the challenges faced by Haiti in the wake of these two crises.

  • In Focus

    Coronavirus: support for widows

    Over 165,000 people in the UK have died due to coronavirus or in cases where it was a contributing factor. Many of these people will have left behind partners. This In Focus looks at the support available to coronavirus widows and widowers in advance of a proposed future debate in the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    House of Lords appointments: should the process be reviewed?

    Since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in 2019, the Government has made 83 appointments to the House of Lords. The Government has argued these appointments have been necessary to refresh the House. However, concerns have been expressed about the number of new appointments and the increase in the number of Conservative members. On 18 November 2021, the House of Lords will debate whether the process by which appointments are made should be reviewed.

  • In Focus

    All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia report

    The Conservative Party manifesto for the 2019 general election pledged that finding a cure for dementia would be one of the Government’s biggest priorities. To this end, the manifesto committed to doubling dementia research funding and speeding up trials for new treatments. In a report published in September 2021, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia made a central recommendation that the Government should implement its funding pledge as soon as possible.

  • In Focus

    Age Assurance (Minimum Standards) Bill [HL]

    Age assurance tools can be used to ensure web content and online platforms are suitable for younger people. The Age Assurance (Minimum Standards) Bill [HL] would require Ofcom to publish a statutory code for digital age assurance systems, requiring the systems to meet minimum standards.

  • In Focus

    Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill [HL]

    This private member’s bill would enable a coroner to record gambling addiction as a relevant factor to a death by suicide. Currently, data on the correlation between problem gambling and deaths by suicide remains limited. Public Health England’s recent evidence review on gambling-related harms concluded that problem gambling should be deemed a public health issue. The bill will receive its second reading in the House of Lords on 19 November 2021.

  • In Focus

    Forensic science services and the criminal justice system

    Forensic science services are a key part of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. The provision of such services has been the subject of scrutiny in recent years. This article considers recent developments in the area, including the Forensic Capability Network and the latest appointment of the Forensic Science Regulator. It also considers the House of Lords debate on forensic science services in the criminal justice system that took place in April 2021.

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