Philip Brien

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Articles

Financial assistance to Ukraine bill 2024-25

Nov 8, 2024 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Claire Mills |Patrick Butchard |Philip Brien

The Financial Assistance to Ukraine Bill was presented in the House of Commons on 6 November 2024 (Bill 48 of Session 2024–25). The purpose of the bill is to allow the UK Government to provide loans and other financial assistance to the Government of Ukraine specifically arising out of the G7 agreement in June 2024 to extend $50 billion (roughly £38.6 billion) of loans to Ukraine that will be repaid using the profits from sanctioned Russian assets. The .
London elections 2024

Jul 24, 2024 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Philip Brien

Elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly were held on 2 May 2024. Labour candidate Sadiq Khan was re-elected for a third term as London mayor. Khan received 1,088,225 votes (44% of the total), ahead of Conservative candidate Susan Hall, who received 812,397 votes (33%). The Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor, Rob Blackie, came third with 145,184 votes, just ahead of the Green Party’s Zoë Garbett with 145,114 (each received 6% of the total).
Refugees and the UK's international aid response

May 15, 2024 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Eleanor Davis |Patrick Butchard |Philip Brien |Philip Loft

As of mid-2023, there were an estimated , mostly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. In recent years, most refugees and asylum seekers have come from only a few countries. Just under 40% are under the age of 18. This briefing sets out who refugees are, the risks they might face, and related UK aid and diplomatic activity. What is a refugee and what are their rights?
Local Government Finance Settlement 2024/25

Feb 5, 2024 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Mark Sandford |Philip Brien

This briefing paper sets out the core features of the Local Government Finance Settlement in 2024/25. The Settlement covers England only: local government funding is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Local authorities in England are expected to have a total of £64.7 billion to spend in 2024/25, of which about £28.6 billion will come from various grants and £36.1 billion will come from council tax. The 2024/25 settlement comprises the second year of a two-year settlement.
House of Commons Library

Oct 26, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Philip Brien |Philip Loft

In 2010, the then Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, said the UK Government would end direct aid to the Chinese Government. While government-to-government aid has ended, some aid and technical assistance focused on China has continued. As China is the world’s second largest economy, continuing UK aid has been controversial, particularly in the context of recent reductions in the UK aid budget.
Debate on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and sustainable development

Oct 10, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Nikki Sutherland |Nuala Burnett |Philip Brien |Philip Loft

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is about access to water and is commonly used by non-governmental organisations and aid agencies. It covers accessibility, water quality and water safety, and encompasses drinking water, sanitation (for example, access to toilets) and hygiene practices (for example, handwashing). In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognised the human right to water and sanitation.
UN Sustainable Development Goals

Oct 9, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Nigel Walker |Philip Brien |Philip Loft

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)The Sustainable Development Goals were launched in 2015 and apply to all UN member states, including the UK. There are 17 goals intended to be met by 2030, including ending poverty in all its forms everywhere and achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. In July 2023, the UN issued a progress report on the SDGs. It warned that progress on most goals has stalled, and, in some cases, gone into reverse.
Halfway to 2030: The Sustainable Development Goals

Sep 14, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Philip Brien |Philip Loft

2023 marks the half-way point to the deadline of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. As stated in the UN resolution marking their launch in 2015, the SDGs seek to galvanise a global effort to promote human development (PDF) and enable those “left behind” to “achieve their full human potential”. The UN has warned progress on the goals has stalled, and, in some cases, went into reverse during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Public spending: a brief introduction

Aug 18, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Philip Brien

Types of spendingPublic spending is planned under several intersecting sets of categories.
Ukraine: UK aid and humanitarian situation 2022-23

Jul 20, 2023 | commonslibrary.parliament.uk | Philip Brien |Philip Loft

On 24 February 2022 Russia launched military action in Ukraine, with forces crossing into the country from Belarus in the north, Russia in the east and Crimea in the south. After failing to take the capital, Kyiv, fighting is now focused in south and eastern Ukraine. Russia’s military actions have forced many Ukrainians to leave the county and resulted in significant damage to Ukrainian infrastructure and public services, creating a substantial level of humanitarian need.