From the Introduction:

On 31 December 2008 the UN Security Council Resolution mandating the presence of a Multinational Force in Iraq, expired. Coalition forces will continue to remain in the country at the invitation of the Iraqi government, although caveats on their role, legal status and their eventual withdrawal have been expressly set down in bilateral agreements governing their presence which have been concluded by the Iraqi government and the remaining Coalition countries. On current plans British forces in Iraq are expected to have completed their military tasks in Iraq by the end of May 2009 with a view to withdrawing by the end of July; while all US forces will withdraw from Iraq no later than 31 December 2011.

This note examines the legal basis for the ongoing presence of Coalition forces in Iraq, current troop commitments and plans for the future.

Direct to Complete Report (13 pages; PDF)

Source: UKHOCL

New from the UK House of Commons Library: Shipping Piracy (5 pages; PDF)

This Note gives a brief overview of the problems facing UK and world shipping from piracy and armed robbery at sea: in 2007-08 there have been increasing incidents of piracy taking place in the waters off failed states, particularly Somalia. It gives a summary of action being taken by both the UK Government and international organisations and also provides some historical background.

Source: UKHOCL

Parliamentary approval for deploying the armed forces (PDF; 396 KB)
Source: House of Commons Library Research Papers

In March 2008 the Government published its White Paper on the Governance of Britain. As part of the wider proposals for constitutional reform contained in that paper, the Government has proposed that Parliament be given a formal role in approving the deployment of the Armed Forces in situations of armed conflict. The Government proposed that that role would be established by a Resolution of the House of Commons.

This paper examines the debate on the Royal prerogative and parliamentary approval thus far, what the Government has proposed in its White Paper and some of the issues that may be considered in any debate determining the final text of the Resolution. For comparative purposes it also examines the legislative procedures for deployment of the Armed Forces in a selection of other countries.

From the Research Report:

At present, women are prevented from becoming bishops under the 1993 Church of England Measure that permitted women to be ordained as priests. Although women can become priests, parishes can pass resolutions against the ministry of female priests in their parish.

On 11 July 2005, the Church of England Synod gave approval for setting in train “the process for removing the legal obstacles to the ordination of women to the episcopate”. In July 2006 the General Synod agreed in principle to the consecration of women to the episcopate, and established a legislative drafting group.

Direct to Full Text Report (22 pages; PDF)

Source: U.K. House of Parliament Library

Iran: Breaking the Nuclear Deadlock
Source: Chatham House

The report considers the ways in which the West can most effectively engage with Iran. It both analyses the current situation and makes a series of practical recommendations about next steps for policymakers in the US under the Obama administration, and in the UK and Europe.

The report argues that Iran’s economic and political weaknesses could provide the catalyst for a breakthrough in the nuclear dispute. It finds that Iran’s domestic politics, energy industry and regional power may not be strong enough for it to resist international demands for a serious negotiation over its nuclear programme and that, despite the triumphalist rhetoric of its leadership, the economy remains Iran’s Achilles’ heel.

+ Full Document (PDF; 782 KB)

21st Century Schools: A World-Class Education for Every Child
Source: Department for Children, Schools and Families

The Children’s Plan sets out the Government’s ambition to make England the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. World class schools, and world class standards for every community, are central to realising this ambition.

Schools rightly see their central purpose as preparing children and young people for life. An excellent 21st century school will be driven by the determination to do the best for every child and deliver excellent personalised education and development.

This document describes how the entire school system will need to change, and how individual schools will need to look beyond traditional boundaries, be outwards facing and work in close partnership with young people, parents, other schools, colleges, universities and with other children’s services.

+ Full Document (PDF; 429 KB)

All reports are PDF files.

+ Religious slaughter

+ Local Government Restructuring

+ Olympic Games and Regeneration

+ Export of Horses

+ Tenant farmers

+ Gypsies and travellers: camp sites and trespass

+ Fisheries enforcement

+ Agricultural occupancy condition

Source: UKHOCL

The Mayor’s Economic Recovery Action Plan
Source: Greater London Authority

The Mayor Boris Johnson has set out a detailed #3bn package of measures to get London back on track and through the economic downturn. He urged Londoners and business to remain confident and positive and to work with him through the challenging times ahead, and to take advantage of the support on offer.

The Mayor’s Economic Recovery Action Plan…will be put in place by the GLA Group and its partners over the coming year. The comprehensive plan consists of nearly 60 measures to support businesses, support Londoners, and to ensure that the capital is equipped for the eventual upturn in the economy.

+ Full Document (PDF; 1.1 MB)

Direct to Full Text Report (20 pages; PDF)

This Note sets out the historical background to the current laws on official secrecy. It also provides a brief summary of notable cases which have involved official information legislation.

Source: UKHOCL

+ The Prescription Charge (9 pages; PDF)

+ Farm incomes: trends and prospects

+ Organic farming

+ London planning

+ Greenfield, Brownfield Sites and Planning

Source: UKHOCL

Modernise or decline: policies to maintain the universal postal service in the United Kingdom
Source: UK - Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Headlines:

1. This review was established to maintain the universal postal service. The size and scope of the Post Office network - the country’s largest retail and financial chain - are largely outside its scope.
2. The universal postal service is important. The ability to deliver items to all 28 million business and residential addresses in the UK is part of our economic and social glue.
3. But the universal service is under threat. The explosion of digital media - internet, email, mobile text and broadcasting - has prompted an unprecedented decline in the letters market.
4. There is a positive future for the postal service, provided that postal companies are able to respond quickly to the changing needs of customers and embrace the opportunities which new technology brings.
5. The only company currently capable of providing the universal service in the UK is Royal Mail. But it is much less efficient than many of its European peers and faces severe difficulties.
6. There is a general consensus that the status quo is untenable. The universal service cannot be sustained under present policies.
7. A radical reform of Royal Mail’s network is inevitable. The company has a plan to achieve this. But the pace of change needs to accelerate significantly.
8. Unless Royal Mail can modernise faster, a forced restructuring under European rules is highly likely. That would be a costly and poor outcome for the taxpayer, for consumers, for Royal Mail and its employees.
9. Now is not the time to reduce the universal service. Reducing the number of deliveries each week from six to five would be in no-one’s best interests.
10. Sustaining the universal service depends fundamentally on modernising Royal Mail.
11. The company urgently needs commercial confidence, capital and corporate experience to modernise quickly and effectively.
12. Modernisation will not happen through conflict or attrition. The CWU and Royal Mail must develop a more constructive working relationship in which both are engaged in the long-term strategic future of the company.
13. We recommend a strategic partnership between Royal Mail and one or more private sector companies with demonstrable experience of transforming a major business, ideally a major network business.
14. Given the wider social role of the Post Office network, Post Office Ltd should remain wholly within public sector ownership.

+ Full Document (PDF; 1.88 MB)

+ Prices - International Comparisons: Economic indicators page (1 page; PDF)

+ Maternity Pay and Leave (11 pages ;PDF)

+ Asylum seekers from Zimbabwe (28 pages ;PDF)

Source: UK House of Commons Library

The UK House of Commons Library issued the following Research Note today:

Key documents : taxation (4 pages; PDF)

From the note:

This note lists some of the key official documents issued in the taxation field recently, and a short selection of other reading on this topic. Links are provided to Internet locations where the documents were available at the time of writing.

Source: UK House of Commons Library

UK - Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing
Source: UK - Foresight

The aim of the Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing has been to advise the Government on how to achieve the best possible mental development and mental wellbeing for everyone in the UK in the future.

The Project has used the best available scientific evidence to develop a vision for:

• the opportunities and challenges facing the UK over the next 20 years and beyond, and the implications for everyone’s mental development and mental wellbeing;
• signposts to what we all need to do to meet the challenges ahead - Government, individuals and business.

+ Project Outputs page

UK - Sources of Social Statistics: Education (PDF; 71 KB)
Source: House of Commons Library

This note is intended as a guide to the key sources in education statistics. It represents a self-help guide, providing a starting point for those interested in obtaining statistics for themselves. Contact details of Library staff dealing with different areas of social statistics are available online http://hcl1.hclibrary.parliament.uk/general_pdf/usingthelibrary.pdf….

Increasingly, key data sources are available online. Links to relevant websites and
publications are contained within the text of this Note, with footnotes detailing the web addresses for hard copy readers. As far as possible links lead to parent web pages, from which the user can choose the specific report they require. In some instances, however, the link leads directly to the document in question.