Many Members of Parliament are dealing with a lot of enquiries from constituents asking how relatives or friends in Afghanistan might be able to come to the UK.
Read the Commons Library Research Briefing here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9307/
research
Constituency casework: asylum, immigration and nationality
StandardMembers of Parliament handle a high volume of immigration, nationality and asylum enquiries from constituents.
The Commons Library has produced a briefing which provides a brief overview of the UK’s immigration and asylum system and basic British nationality law.
It also outlines the legal restrictions on giving immigration advice, gives some suggestions on handling constituents’ enquiries, refers to some sources of information that may be helpful for straightforward questions, and highlights training courses available to Members’ staff.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03186/
House of Commons Library Research Briefings on Afghanistan
StandardParliament has been recalled on Wednesday 18 August 2021 to debate the situation in Afghanistan.
You can find relevant Commons Library research and analysis on the Commons Library website here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/type/research-briefing/
Please note that the situation in Afghanistan is fast moving and briefings should be read as correct at the time of publication.
Commons Library Research Briefing: Directly-elected mayors
StandardThis briefing paper explains the status of directly-elected mayors in English and Welsh local government, and the routes to establishing them, including the use of local referendums. It also includes an up-to-date list of elected mayors and statistics on previous referendums.
Find the briefing here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05000/
Commons Library Research Briefing: Consumer protection: online scams
StandardThe Commons Library has published a new research briefing looking at online scams. In addition to looking at the scale of the problem, it considers the different types of scams, who are the targeted victims, and what is being done to combat them.
You can find it here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9214/
Commons Library Research Briefing: May 2021 local elections
StandardThe Commons Library has published a new research briefing looking at the results of the local elections that took place in England on 6 May 2021.
You can find it here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9228/
Commons Library Research Briefing – “Common law marriage” and cohabitation
StandardThis Commons Library briefing paper provides general information about how the law applies to cohabitants, the number of cohabiting couples, and about the Law Commission’s proposals for reform.
Although cohabitating couples do have legal protection in several areas, such as under the law relating to domestic abuse, cohabitation gives no general legal status to a couple, unlike marriage and civil partnership from which many legal rights and responsibilities flow. Many people are unaware this is the case.
This briefing provides information about the number of cohabiting couples, how the law applies to them, the Law Commission’s proposals for reform, and other calls for reform.
You can find the briefing here: “Common law marriage” and cohabitation
Commons Library Research Briefing – Universal Credit: A reading list
StandardThe Commons Library has produced a Universal Credit reading list covering the new benefit from its development more than a decade ago through to April 2020.
What is the Privy Council?
StandardWhat is the Privy Council?
The Privy Council is an advisory body to the Monarch; its members are known as Privy Counsellors. It is one of the oldest parts of the UK’s constitutional arrangements, with its origins dating back to at least the thirteenth century.
Find out more in this Commons Library Research Briefing which looks at the role and powers of the Privy Council: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7460/
GP Practices by Constituency
StandardThe House of Commons Library has produced a downloadable file listing all GP practices located in each UK constituency, based on data from NHS Digital, ISD Scotland and NHS Wales.
You can find it here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7293/