The Speaker wrote about important decisions, including increased maternity capital, a sports tax deduction, the ‘localization’ of IT giants and several others.

Maternity capital will be indexed to actual rather than forecast inflation. Its amount will be revised annually on 1 February.

More families will be able to receive the monthly benefit for a first or second child under three. It is available when per capita income is below twice the regional subsistence minimum for the working-age population.

The benefit amount will also rise. It will equal the subsistence minimum for children in the year the family applies for the payment.

From the new year, a sports tax deduction is introduced. Citizens may recover 13% of spending on fitness or other sporting and health services.

— A law informing Russians about benefits they are entitled to also takes effect in January. Information will be provided when citizens visit government and local authorities or multifunctional centres. Currently, it can be obtained through Gosuslugi and a free telephone number.

Insurance and social disability pensions will begin to be awarded without an application. Applications will also no longer be needed for social pension supplements, such as top-ups to the subsistence minimum.

— Every three years, the Pension Fund will inform women aged 40 and over and men aged 45 and over about how their pensions are being formed.

IT giants will be required to establish a presence in Russia by opening representative offices if the internet company’s daily audience exceeds 500,000 people.

The rights of people who do not wish to provide biometrics will be protected. “If a citizen does not want to use such personal data for identification, this cannot be grounds to refuse state or municipal services,” Vyacheslav Volodin explained.

The Central Bank will be able to restrict unsecured consumer lending, protecting people from a "debt trap" and preserving their funds, the State Duma chairman said. Thirty per cent of borrowers spend more than 80% of their income on repayments and consequently become financially dependent.

Zoos, circuses, animal centres, dolphinariums and oceanariums will be prohibited from operating without a licence. This will ensure animals are kept in appropriate conditions.

The unified emergency number 112 will also start operating in January. Calls are free and help may be requested even with a negative balance.