Organised Crime in Northern Ireland

Organised Crime in Northern Ireland PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215029591
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Book Description
Organised crime continues to have a damaging affect on society and on the economy of Northern Ireland. There is a continued involvement of paramilitaries from both loyalist and republican sides who exercise control over communities and instil a fear that leads to the under-reporting of crimes. Excise and tax fraud, intellectual property crime, extortion, drugs, armed robbery, money laundering and illegal dumping have been identified as the major areas of organised criminal activity. There is also evidence that human trafficking is an emerging problem. Because of the nature of the subject, this report, which occupied the Committee for over six months, is based on evidence given in private as well as that given at public hearings.

Organised Crime in Northern Ireland

Organised Crime in Northern Ireland PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215029591
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Book Description
Organised crime continues to have a damaging affect on society and on the economy of Northern Ireland. There is a continued involvement of paramilitaries from both loyalist and republican sides who exercise control over communities and instil a fear that leads to the under-reporting of crimes. Excise and tax fraud, intellectual property crime, extortion, drugs, armed robbery, money laundering and illegal dumping have been identified as the major areas of organised criminal activity. There is also evidence that human trafficking is an emerging problem. Because of the nature of the subject, this report, which occupied the Committee for over six months, is based on evidence given in private as well as that given at public hearings.

Investigating the oceans

Investigating the oceans PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Science and Technology Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215036599
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Investigating the Oceans : Tenth report of session 2006-07, Vol. 2: Oral and written Evidence

House of Commons - Transport Committee: Forging Ahead?: UK Shipping Strategy - HC 630

House of Commons - Transport Committee: Forging Ahead?: UK Shipping Strategy - HC 630 PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215069788
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description
UK is a globally competitive location for shipping. The maritime sector earns £8.8 - £11.8 billion for the economy and supports 214,000 jobs. The Government's new maritime strategy poses the right questions about UK shipping but does not yet provide compelling answers on a range of key points. In particular, it is unclear how the Government plans to address the looming skills gap whereby the UK will have 5,000 fewer deck and engineering officers than the UK's maritime sector is predicted to require by 2021. The Committee recommends that the Government: make an explicit commitment to address fully a significant looming shortfall in UK trained seafarers partly through the Tonnage Tax, SMaRT funding and apprenticeships; commission an independent review of the MCA to evaluate how far a ongoing budget cuts may weaken the UK's ability to enforce compliance with international shipping regulations, undermine its status as a high-quality flag nation and shrink its influence within the International Maritime Organisation.; review the support the UK provides through its oversight of the Red Ensign Group to a number of competing registries of crown dependencies and UK overseas territories to raise the standards of the vessels which fly under the this flag; implement stronger seamanship qualifications by 2016 for the crew of all transfer vessels taking staff to and from offshore wind farm installations (and to call for voluntary compliance with these higher standards before that deadline); and support London International Shipping Week 2015 but showcase shipping around the country

Refuse collection

Refuse collection PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215513700
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
The Committee remains to be convinced that incentive or charging schemes will work well in England. The operation of only five pilot schemes (out of a total of 354 local authorities) by 2012, covering four different collection methods, in a mixture of rural and urban settings, is unlikely to provide sufficient information to judge whether all authorities should be able to offer such collection schemes. The Committee cannot see why any council would set up a complicated incentive or charging scheme that earns it no money and risks widespread public disapproval. The pilot schemes will have government funding, but that will not be available should there be a roll-out across all authorities, and the Committee calls for a full assessment of the implications for council budgets of instigating such schemes. No scheme will start before 2009, but will run for three years, which means that financial incentive schemes will have no discernible effect on local authorities' duty to meet European Union landfill diversion targets before penalties fall due in 2010 and 2013. The government's decision to cap the amounts local authorities can offer as incentives or take in charges runs counter to its rhetoric on local decision making. The Committee believes the government has retreated from its proposals outlined in the "Waste strategy for England 2007" (Cm. 7086, ISBN 9780101708623). The result is a messy compromise attracting hostile media coverage for a limited set of pilot schemes that will have little impact before EU fines fall due. The government should reconsider devolving the power to introduce schemes to local authorities themselves, as they are best placed to judge how refuse should be collected and whether local residents should be asked to gain incentives by increasing their recycling or to pay additional charges if they do not.

Tourism in Northern Ireland and its economic impact and benefits

Tourism in Northern Ireland and its economic impact and benefits PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215034229
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 16

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Book Description
Government reply to HCP 119, session 2006-07 (ISBN 9780215033000)

HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament

HC 1152 - Our Work in the 2010-2015 Parliament PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 0215085841
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 37

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Book Description
As one of a small number of cross-government select committees, this Committee has gained a perspective on the state of Whitehall and its agencies which is not available to departmental select committees. Throughout the past five years, the recurring theme of their findings and recommendations reflects the importance of effective leadership in creating effective organisations. It is the positive or negative attitudes and behaviour in the people and the culture of an organisation which determines success or failure. Structures, processes and systems are important too, but preoccupation with these so often becomes a distraction from the real problems, which are about why people do not share information for the common good, collaborate effectively and trust one another. PASC took control of the process of selection of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) away from the Government altogether, so that for the first time Parliament has appointed its Ombudsman. They have also held many pre-appointment hearings for the Chairs of public bodies and were the first Select Committee to refuse to accept a government nomination for the chair of a public body. The Government was forced to re-run the selection for the post of Chair of the UK Statistics Authority under a new selection panel, and to propose a different candidate. They also hold hearings on PHSO's thematic reports, to interrogate and hold to account those who must respond to its recommendations. PASC has worked together effectively as a team despite political differences and the often controversial issues tackled

HC 386 - Energy Network Costs: Transparent and Fair?

HC 386 - Energy Network Costs: Transparent and Fair? PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Energy and Climate Change Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 0215081609
Category : Electric utilities
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
Network costs (which cover the transmission and distribution of gas and electricity from power stations to households and industry) are a very significant component of household and industrial energy bills. Ofgem has created a new regulatory framework (RIIO) that was designed to ensure that costs were competitive and that profits weren't excessive, but there is clear evidence that network companies are making higher profits than expected. This suggests that the targets and incentives set by Ofgem are too low, barriers to market entry are high and that Ofgem needs to monitor RIIO more effectively and to equip RIIO with stronger, corrective measures. Ofgem has not yet created the conditions for the market to thrive and provide consumers with best value for money. In the short-term, market conditions can be improved if: (i) an interim independent audit of price controls is conducted; (ii) the 40-day notification period for price changes is increased to 15 months; and (iii) stronger, corrective measures are applied to companies that have received incentive payments for reducing leakages when such reductions have not taken place.

Existing Housing and Climate Change

Existing Housing and Climate Change PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Communities and Local Government Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215514417
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Book Description
The UK contains more than 26 million homes which, collectively, emitted 41.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2004, representing more than a quarter of the UK's emission of the main greenhouse gas driving climate change. The Government plans that the three million more households to be added to the housing stock over the next 12 years will be as carbon-neutral as modern building methods, technologies and regulation can make them. But the Government must pay as much attention to reducing the carbon footprint of the existing housing stock, given the UK's challenging target of reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. Domestic energy efficiency measures taken since 1970 have halved what UK domestic energy demand would otherwise be, but the amount of energy used now needs to decline sharply if the target is to be achieved. Chapters examine: regulation and encouragement; financial incentives; energy performance certificates; breaching the barriers to change; newer technologies; older buildings. There are many existing means to achieve rapid reductions in carbon emissions. such as cavity-wall insulation, loft insulation, double-glazing, condensing boilers, more efficient lighting. One problem is that of engaging with a greater proportion of the population and convincing them of the need for action. The proposed Green Homes Service due in late 2008 should provide a one-stop source of information for householders to overcome this "information barrier" to quick, simple and cost-effective action in many homes. The Committee believes that substantial and rapid change is possible if millions of individuals and families can be encouraged to rise to the challenge.

The funding of science and discovery centres

The funding of science and discovery centres PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Science and Technology Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215036667
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description
Science and discovery centres make up an extremely diverse group with the common characteristic of the use of interactive exhibits to promote awareness of scientific issues and to spark people's curiosity, particularly those of children and young people. They provide informal education in all kinds of scientific and technological areas, including astronomy, ecology, energy generation, engineering, marine biology, medicine and physics. The Committee's report examines the role and effectiveness of science centres, how science centres are co-ordinated and organised, and how they are funded. Findings include that in the short term, given that a number of science centres are struggling financially and risk closure, the Government should make available limited, competitively-awarded, short-term funding to support these centres, as well as reducing the tax burden on science and other educational centres. However, the Committee agrees with the Government's stance that it should not fund failing centres and recommends that the Government commission independent research to ascertain their effectiveness. Ecsite-uk is well placed to assess models that exist in Scotland and internationally, with a view to implementing structural and best practice guidance that promotes co-ordination between science centres across the UK. The report also welcomes the offer by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to take responsibility for science centres, and recommends that this responsibility be formally written into the Ministerial portfolio.

Office of Science and Innovation

Office of Science and Innovation PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Science and Technology Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215033505
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Book Description
The scrutiny of the Office of Science and Technology (OSI) is one of the core tasks of the Committee. During the period covered by this report the OSI and DTI Innovation Group have successfully merged and there has been a new performance management system. There has been a welcomed increase in the science budget but the breach of the principle of ring fencing the budget is deprecated. An important part of OSI's work is reviewing the use of science in Government departments. Although these are valuable the pace of review and information available on them needs to be improved.