issue brief
Cloning
Cloning is one of the most controversial areas of scientific research of recent times. The term 'cloning' means the asexual reproduction of identical copies of an original, and it is human cloning (and to a lesser extent animal cloning) for reproductive purposes that causes considerable public disquiet.Read More
Common agricultural policy
The key objectives of the common agricultural policy (CAP), as enshrined in the EU treaties, are to: Increase agricultural productivity thus to ensure a fair standard of living for agricultural producers; stabilise markets; assure availability of supplies; ensure reasonable prices to consumers.
Read More
Common Fisheries Policy
The European Union's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was adopted in 1983, with the objective of ensuring that declining fish stocks are exploited responsibly - protecting the environment and the interests of the fishing industry and consumers.Read More
Common Foreign and Security Policy
The Maastricht Treaty of 1993 allows the EU to develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), covering all areas of foreign and security policy.Read More
Congestion charge
The congestion charge is a daily levy imposed on drivers choosing to drive within central London. It applies between 07:00 and 18:00 on Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.Read More
Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment refers to the use of physical punishment to correct behaviour. The term derives from the Latin corpus, meaning body.Read More
Council Tax – Structure
Local government is financed by a combination of centrally-administered funding and locally-administered charges and taxes - the most significant of which is council tax.Read More
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is an independent judicial agency responsible for the preparation and presentation of criminal prosecutions in the UK.Read More
Debt and Debt Relief in the Developing World
All countries have some kind of national debt, as a consequence of normal economic activity. Sometimes, countries accumulate unmanageable levels of debt due to particular economic crises.Read More
Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) develops in a deep vein of the legs.Read More
Disability Benefits and Spending
People with physical and mental disabilities are sometimes significantly hampered in fully participating in all aspects of society because of social and physical barriers to the full enjoyment of their rights.Read More
Disability Discrimination
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 described a disabled person as someone with "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities", which has or can be expected to last for more than 12 months.Read More
Education leaving age
In the UK, the government determines the duration of compulsory education, with the minimum school leaving age set down in an Act of parliament. Read More
Elections and voting
How to vote Are you eligible? In order to vote in a UK general election you must be: on the electoral register 18 years of age or older on polling day a British, Commonwealth or Irish citizen resident in the UK not subject to a disqualification You will be disqualified from voting if: you are...Read More
Electoral Reform and Voting Systems
Proportional Representation (PR) is the principle behind a number of electoral systems, all of which attempt to ensure that the outcome of the election reflects the proportion of support gained by each competing group.Read More
Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates
What are Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates? British Embassies and High Commissions together comprise the UK’s “diplomatic missions” overseas. The role of a UK diplomatic mission is to function as the channel of communication between the British government and that of the host country, to act as the official representative of the UK (in general,...Read More