Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: European Scrutiny Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 100 pages
File Size : 48,74 MB
Release : 2005-12-12
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0215026578
Twelfth report of Session 2005-06 : Documents considered by the Committee on 30 November 2005, including, control of Avian influenza, report, together with formal Minutes
Author : Katharine Gelber
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 187 pages
File Size : 38,39 MB
Release : 2016-04-14
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0191083429
Although there has been a lot written about how counter-terrorism laws impact on human rights and civil liberties, most of this work has focussed on the most obvious or egregious kinds of human rights abrogation, such as extended detention, torture, and extraordinary rendition. Far less has been written about the complex ways in which Western governments have placed new and far-reaching limitations on freedom of speech in this context since 9/11. This book compares three liberal democracies - the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, in particular showing the commonalities and similarities in what has occurred in each country, and the changes in the appropriate parameters of freedom of speech in the counter-terrorism context since 9/11, achieved both in policy change and the justification for that change. In all three countries much speech has been criminalized in ways that were considered anachronistic, or inappropriate, in comparable policy areas prior to 9/11. This is particularly interesting because other works have suggested that the United States' unique protection of freedom of speech in the First Amendment has prevented speech being limited in that country in ways that have been pursued in others. This book shows that this kind of argument misses the detail of the policy change that has occurred, and privileges a textual reading over a more comprehensive policy-based understanding of the changes that have occurred. The author argues that we are now living a new-normal for freedom of speech, within which restrictions on speech that once would have been considered aberrant, overreaching, and impermissible are now considered ordinary, necessary, and justified as long as they occur in the counter-terrorism context. This change is persistent, and it has far reaching implications for the future of this foundational freedom.
Author : Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 418 pages
File Size : 18,57 MB
Release : 2008
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215524034
Although road accident deaths have halved between 1958 and 2007 whilst the number of licensed motor vehicles and vehicle mileage covered increased by 400 per cent, the current rate of 3,000 deaths and 250,000 injuries is still an unacceptably high level. Road accidents are the largest single cause of death for people between the ages of 5 and 35 in Britain, and road accidents cost our economy some £18 billion each year. The number of deaths and injuries on roads far outweighs the deaths and injuries in other transport modes, and should be viewed as a major public health problem. The Government should establish a British Road Safety Survey to track overall casualty and safety trends, and review current methods for recording road-traffic injuries. The Committee recommends a systems approach to road safety: ensuring the vehicle, the road infrastructure, regulations and driver training are designed to similar safety and performance standards. Other recommendations include: more 20 mph speed limits; a more proactive approach to determining the safety benefits of new vehicle technologies; action on young drivers - who represent a disproportionate risk to road users - and vulnerable users: motorcyclists, elderly and child pedestrians and cyclists, horse riders; a higher priority given to enforcement of drink-drive and drug-drive offences. The Committee recommends the establishment of an independent Road Safety Commission with powers to work across the whole of government, ensuring that a high priority and adequate resources are given to road safety and that all government departments and agencies give active support. The Government should also establish a road accident investigation branch, like those in aviation, rail and marine.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 68 pages
File Size : 24,21 MB
Release : 2007-11-13
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215037275
Developed as an alternative to the American and Russian military systems, the Galileo programme is an independent European navigation satellite system designed specifically for civilian applications, primarily funded and controlled by the European Union and the European Space Agency. Galileo has potential uses across many sectors, though transport applications such as road and rail traffic monitoring, road pricing systems and air traffic control have been considered key areas of benefit. An earlier Committee report on the topic (HCP 1210, session 2003-04, ISBN 9780215020550), published in November 2004, recognised the potential benefits of the programme for the UK and Europe, but raised concerns over its cost and funding sustainability unless rigorous cost-benefit analyses were undertaken. The programme is currently in its development phase, with the second of two experiemental satellites due to be launched at the end of 2007. It is not expected to be fully operational until 2013-14 (originally this phase was meant to have commenced in 2008), and until Galileo becomes operational, Europe is largely reliant on the American and Russian systems. The Committee's report examines i) the costs, funding and value for money of the programme, including the delays encountered, the UK share of costs, the collapse of the public-private partnership (PPP) negotiations and the governance and procurement strategy; and ii) the impact of the complexity of the EU decision-making process on the programme's future funding and management.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 136 pages
File Size : 11,89 MB
Release : 2007-08-03
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215035813
The draft Local Transport Bill consists of a package of measures intended to promote stronger joint working between local authorities and bus operators, to support the introduction of local road pricing schemes and to enable changes to be made to local transport governance. This report follows the structure of the draft Bill. Although the remarks are related to specific clauses some of the recommendations have a more general application. Included with the report is consideration of the Transport Innovation Fund, which is closely linked to congestion and the draft Bill. The Committee is however unhappy that at the end of their inquiry the Secretary of State announced further consultation on parts of the Bill related to the powers and status of the traffic commissioners on reform of the Bus Service Operators' Grant and transitional arrangements for quality contract schemes.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 72 pages
File Size : 22,60 MB
Release : 2007-07-26
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215035554
Air travel has expanded hugely over the past 25 years and in 2005 228 million passengers travelled through UK airports. This report looks at the passenger experience of air travel from purchasing a ticket to boarding the plane, including travel to and from the airport, check-in and security and complaint resolution. It finds that passengers are more frustrated and dissatisfied than ever. More choice has not led to more power, easier purchasing of tickets has not led to greater transparency, security queues are getting longer with rules becoming more convoluted, and consumer rights can be overwhelmed by legal complexity. The Committee look to the aviation industry to work towards a system whereby the passenger can buy a clearly priced ticket, drop off baggage and quickly proceed through security to board a plane staffed by well qualified, polite staff.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 68 pages
File Size : 35,67 MB
Release : 2007-07-19
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 0215035232
Novice drivers (those with less than three years driving experience) are among the most vulnerable drivers on our roads, particularly in the first year after passing their test, with one research study finding that nearly one fifth of new drivers were involved in at least one crash within one year of passing their tests. The Committee's report examines a number of options designed to create a more structured approach to learning to drive, in order to help reduce road deaths and injuries amongst novice drivers and the victims of their inexperience. Options include establishing a minimum learning period; graduated driver licensing so that there might be a restriction on driving at night for a certain period after passing a test or a limit on the car engine size allowed; and driver education schemes designed to influence people at a young age to address the development of over-confident attitudes. It also considers the role of the insurance industry and measures to make traffic law enforcement more effective, particularly for disqualified and unlicensed drivers. Recommendations include: i) the introduction of a minimum 12-month learning period, thereby establishing the minimum age for holding a full driving licence at 18 years, in line with most European countries; ii) the need to evaluate the enforceability of two blood alcohol concentration limits, one for novice drivers and one for the general driving populations; iii) the need for further research to understand the scale and nature of the crash involvement of novice drivers, as distinct from young drivers; and iv) reforming the driver training and testing framework including a mandatory continuous professional development programme for all driving instructors.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 134 pages
File Size : 17,95 MB
Release : 2008-01-25
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215038319
This report from the Transport Committee, examines London Underground and the Public-Private Partnership Agreements. The Government originally announced proposals for modernising the London Underground network system via Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements in 1998. Three contracts were drawn up with: (i) Tube Lines for the maintenance and renewal of the Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern Lines; (ii) with Metronet Rail BVC for the maintenance and renewal of the Bakerloo, Central, Victoria & Waterloo & City Lines; (iii) with Metronet Rail SSL, responsible for the maintenance and renewal of the "sub-surface lines": the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan & East London Lines. These PPP Agreements, 30 years in duration, were arrangements to maintain, renew and upgrade parts of London Underground by private sector infrastructure companies (Infracos), whilst London Underground is responsible for services to customers. The PPP Agreements also set out a performance-related incentive and penalty scheme to remunerate the Infracos for the improvements they make to the network. In May 2007, Metronet admitted an overspend of £1 billion and was refused access to loan facilities by the banks. It then made a reference to the PPP Arbiter, which in turn triggered an Extraordinary Review (which occurs when extra costs are incurred above the level allowed for the bid). Metronet put in a bid for £551m but the PPP Arbiter provisionally concluded that a sum of £121m was appropriate. Metronet subsequently went into administration on 18 July 2007. The report sets out a number of conclusions and recommendations, including: contracts that were supposed to deliver 35 station upgrades, in fact delivered only 14, 40% of the requirement; stations that were supposed to cost Metronet SSL £2m, cost £7.5m, with only 65% of schedule track renewal accomplished; the Committee criticises the consequences of the imposition of PPP on Transport for London, as a "lamentable state of affairs", with the future of most of London Underground's upgrade and maintenance work in doubt; the Committee states, that the Government should remember the failure of Metronet before it considers entering similar arrangements; that the Government should publish a candid analysis of the events preceding Metronet's collapse and its consequences; the Committee believe that the PPP model was flawed and probably inferior to traditional public-sector management; that the Government needs to prioritise transparency and clarity to taxpayers and ensure that any future contracts result in clear accountability.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 170 pages
File Size : 35,14 MB
Release : 2008-03-14
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215514134
BAA Limited owns and operates seven UK airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. They handle nearly 150 million passengers a year, and are a vital part of the country's transport infrastructure. In the light of the Office of Fair Trading's referral of BAA to the Competition Commission, to investigate whether BAA's market position was limiting competition in the UK aviation sector, the Committee set up its own inquiry. It particularly wanted to consider: the regulatory framework; the quality of service provided; the size and quality of investment; any consequences following the acquisition of BAA by Ferrovial; the implications of further runway and terminal capacity; how more competition could be introduced into the market. The Committee concludes that the drawbacks of common ownership outweigh the advantages, and identifies a problem with service quality. It believes that increased competition is possible, and hopes the Competition Commission will ensure a healthy, competitive airport sector for the future.
Author : Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee
Publisher : The Stationery Office
Page : 166 pages
File Size : 34,78 MB
Release : 2007-03-29
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780215033406
The Government's Motorcycling Strategy was published in February 2005, with the aim of facilitating motorcycling as a choice of travel within a safe and sustainable transport framework. It had a strong focus on safety including provision on the highway, including road design and maintenance; encouraging safer bike design; promoting correct helmet fitting; and improving rider training. This inquiry looks at the progress in implementing the strategy. In addition it also considers changes to motorcycle licensing arrangements and action that might be taken to reduce the risk posed by mini-motos and go-peds.
