In Focus
The National Risk Register provides an overview of the risks of major emergencies that could impact the UK in the next five years. This article details the risks contained in the register and the action taken by the Government to mitigate them. The register and how prepared the UK is for responding to emergencies is the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 4 June 2020.
In Focus
Coronavirus is believed to have originated in a ‘wet market’ selling wild animals in the city of Wuhan in China. This has provoked debate about the relationship between unsanitary conditions in some markets and the spread of diseases from animals to humans. The article summarises international efforts to regulate live animal markets, particularly those in Asia and Africa.
In Focus
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen an increase in complaints of price gouging, with some household items being sold at inflated prices. This article summarises the campaign to combat price gouging and the existing powers available to achieve this in consumer law.
In Focus
Many countries have adopted or are in the process of developing coronavirus contact-tracing apps. Different apps use different models for handling sensitive personal data. This article looks at the approaches taken by different governments around the world on whether specific data protection legislation is required.
In Focus
The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 has its 50th anniversary in May 2020. As a result of the Act, councils were obliged for the first time to provide certain services for disabled people. This article examines the Act and gives an overview of changes in disabled rights since it was passed.
In Focus
To mark 75 years since the liberation of the Channel Islands, this article explores how the islands were occupied and how the occupation was debated in the House of Lords.
In Focus
The British Business Bank operates a series of loan schemes to support companies during the pandemic, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). This article summarises the schemes and policy debates around them. It includes data on loan take-up up to 22 April. Coronavirus support through the British Business Bank is the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 30 April 2020.
In Focus
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen an increase in homeworking and other online activity, such as video streaming. This increase in demand has affected both telecoms providers and engineers. This article summarises the scale of this increased demand and the measures taken to meet it.
In Focus
The Covid-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on the delivery of other vaccination programmes around the world. In April 2020, the UN estimated that vaccination programmes in 24 countries had been delayed due to Covid-19. This article looks at why it is important that other vaccination programmes continue, focusing in particular on the measles vaccine.
In Focus
The Vagrancy Act 1824 criminalises rough sleeping and begging, subject to certain conditions. Some have campaigned for the Act to be repealed and the Government has committed to reviewing the legislation. This article provides details on some of the criticisms of the legislation. It also summarises the Government's stance on this.
In Focus
Most official data is produced with a lag, making timely assessments of the economic impact of coronavirus difficult. The disruption may also have made it harder to collect accurate statistics. This article looks at a new set of indicators that the Office for National Statistics has produced to address these issues. It also reports suggestions for other measures to shed light on the impact of the pandemic, including from countries.
In Focus
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on prisons and offenders. This article looks at why this population are more at risk from the outbreak, what the current situation is in England and Wales, and what the Government have announced to help support prisons and offenders during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Focus
CRISPR (clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a genome editing tool. Scientists continue to research the potential uses of CRISPR technology. The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in the demand for diagnostic testing. This article discusses what CRISPR is and its potential role in diagnostics.
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