United Kingdom England
United Kingdom and Gibraltar (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland)
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a highly developed constitutional monarchy comprised of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. Gibraltar is a United Kingdom Overseas Territory bordering Spain and located at the southernmost tip of Europe at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of thirteen former British colonies that have elected to continue their political links with London. Tourist facilities are widely available. ... [Read More]
United Kingdom (05/05)
While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled under one crown beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster. ... The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1 ... [Read More]
United Kingdom and Gibraltar (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland)
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman This information is current as of today, document.write(Date()+".") United Kingdom and Gibraltar (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) ... [Read More]
International Parental Child Abduction United Kingdom
U.S. Department of State [Read More]
United Kingdom
The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Church of England and the Church of Scotland are established churches. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion. The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom. Centuries-old sectarian divisions--and instances of violence--persist in Northern Ireland.The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of prom ... [Read More]
International Adoption United Kingdom
U.S. Department of State [Read More]
United Kingdom
1111--03/02/05 Secretary Rice's Trip to the United Kingdom; London, England ... 1111--05/06/03 Deputy Secretary Armitage's Visit to U.S. Embassy in London; U.S. Embassy; London, England ... [Read More]
Foreign Entry Requirements
MONTENEGRO - Passport required. Visa not required for stays of up to 90 days. For longer stays, contact the Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro, 2134 Kalorama Road, N.W., Washington, DC 20008 (202/332-0333 ext. 103) or the Consulate General of Serbia and Montenegro, 201 East Ohio St., Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois 60611 (312/670-6707 ext. 108). MONTSERRAT - (See West Indies, British) MOROCCO - *Passport required. Visa not required for st ... [Read More]
United Kingdom
Prison conditions generally met international standards; however, instances of mistreatment by prison officials, overcrowding, and suicides occurred. According to the Home Office, as of July, there were 73,894 prisoners in England and Wales. In England and Wales, an independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, appointed by the Home Secretary, investigates complaints from prisoners and those subject to probation supervision. According to the Scottish Prison Service, as of October, there were 6,475 prisoners in Scotland. A 2002 report by the Prison Reform Trust warned that prisons in England and Wales suffered from overcrowding, resulting in prisoners being held in inhumane and degrading conditions. The Prison Service attempted to correct the problems of overcrowding and poor facilities by providing funding for 2,320 new places. The Scottish Prison Service also noted pressures caused by record numbers of prisoners during the year. ... [Read More]
Secretary Rice's Trip to the United Kingdom
London, England ... Secretary Rice traveled to England on February 28, 2005 for the March 1 London Meeting on Supporting the Palestinian Authority.Click on images for larger versions, captions, and photo credits. ... [Read More]
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