Government bodies

United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council has responsibility under the UN Charter for maintaining international security and peace by taking military actions against aggressors and applying sanctions. Its website provides information on the functions of the Security Council, including its rules of procedure, and role within the UN as a whole. It also includes a list of current members and the full-text of a large number of its documents.

European Scrutiny Committee

The European Scrutiny Committee is a permanent cross-party committee of the House of Commons. It assess draft EU legislation which has been deposited in Parliament by the Government. Its website makes available the Committee's reports from November 1996 to date, minutes from November 2009 to date, ministerial correspondence with the Committee, background papers and details of inquiries by the Committee. There is also a guide to the European scrutiny system and a guide to the EU institutions and EU legislation.

European Investment Bank (EIB)

The European Investment Bank is the official body which finances capital investment in the EU and seeks to promote European Union economic policy. Its activities include: fostering economic development of the poorer European regions, financing urban renewal projects and promoting competitiveness of industry. The EIB website contains the full-text of the statute which sets out its role, it also includes its most recent annual report, press releases and other publications. Information is also available on current projects and there is a list of recent publications.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

COMESA is an inter-governmental body encouraging economic cooperation between countries in East and South Africa. Member states include: Angola, Burundi, Comoros, D.R.Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Click on the Intstitutions link to find the COMESA Court of Justice.

Registers of Scotland

Website of the Registers of Scotland the Government Agency responsible for compiling and maintaining registers relating to property and other legal documents in Scotland. The registers are the Land Register of Scotland, the Register of Sasines, the Chancery and Judicial Registers and the Register of Community Interests in Land. The site describes the Registers, their history and how to search them. There is property and house price information and a full text copy of the Registration of Title Practice Book which contains a copy of the Land Registration Act.

HM Land Registry

The Land Registry is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government. Its main purpose is to register title to land in England and Wales and to record dealings once the land is registered. The website provides a searchable register of title deeds, downloadable data, a collection of land registration practice guides, reports, forms, house price data and other information.

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada is an independent tribunal established in 1989 by the Canadian Parliament to make decisions on immigration and refugee matters. Its main concerns are handling immigration appeals and claims for refugee status and providing information on Canadian immigration law. Its website describes the function of the IRB and contains its current press releases and annual reports from 1995 onwards. It also offers updates on current Canadian immigration law and the immigration appeals process.

Department of Justice Canada

The Department of Justice Canada is a government department with the mission of ensuring an accessible, efficient and fair system of justice and providing legal services to the government, its departments and agencies. This site gives information about the department's structure and provides links to the full-texts of Canada's consolidated statutes and regulations as well as departmental publications, and a list of helpful links to related websites. The site is available in English and French.

Stortinget

Stortinget is the Norwegian Parliament. Its website is offered in English or Norwegian. The English version contains the text of the Norwegian Constitution, the parliamentary rules of procedure and information on the history, current functions and legislative procedures of the parliament. The Norwegian-language version offers more detailed information, including details of parliamentary documents and legislation since 1994 and parliamentary debates since 1996.

European Court of Auditors

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) was created in 1977 and acts as the official auditor of European Union finances. Its website offers details of the role and purpose of the ECA, its annual reports on the EU budget from 1977 onwards and the external auditor's reports from 1997 onwards. It also has a collection of ECA opinions going back to 1977 (via Browse Publiactions, on the home page) as well as briefing papers, background papers, reports, speeches and other documents. The Library pages include a bibliography concerning the EU budget.

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