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The Adam Smith Institute has published reports or held policy brainstorming events on just about every measure mentioned in today's Queen's Speech, which sets out the UK government's 2002-03 legislative programme. I don't want to bore you, so here's some personal reflections on just three of them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HERE'S TO US! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Of all the measures announced today, I think it is the promise of 24-hour pub opening that will make the most difference to most people. About time too: in the late 1970s, flexible opening turned Scotland from the UK's most restrictive to its most liberal licensing regime -- and drink-related crime and disease plummeted. People drink more, yes: but they binge less. We outlined the case for liberalization in our report 'Time to Call Time'. See http://www.adamsmith.org/policy/publications/cat-all.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESS LIBERTY, MORE AUTHORITY? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Queen's Speech promises a 'radical shake-up of the courts system. Fat chance. The only way to shake up public services is end their monopoly. In our report 'Judgement Day' -- on the web soon -- we proposed private arbitration in place of court hearings. It's quicker, cheaper -- and not so full of pricey lawyers on day rates stringing out the proceedings. In fact, it's time to let the chill wind of modern-day competition in on the whole legal profession. In our report 'Silk Cut', Peter Reeves says we should scrap the entire caste of pompous and bewigged 'Queen's Counsel'. Read the report on http://www.adamsmith.org/policy/publications/cat-all.htm But we're still 'Taking Liberties' to use the title of Peter Lilley's recent ASI paper, which you'll also find on http://www.adamsmith.org under the 'publications' button. Trial by jury and the rule against double jeopardy are essential safeguards against powerful authority that we had to fight for. Should we give them up so easily in the name of efficiency? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FREE THE BEEB! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The promised communications bill will liberalize media ownership but it should go a lot further, according to TV and internet media producer Eben Wilson in 'Media, Meddling and Mediocrity', which we will be publishing in a few weeks. The media sector is now so competitive that it is hardly any different from the grocery sector, he suggests: so why all the heavy-handed regulation anyway? The only anti-competitive element is the huge monopoly power of the BBC -- and he has plans for dealing with that! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOSING THE THIRD WAY? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Has the government lost its own Third Way? The approach aims to use the efficiency of the private sector, moderated by state action. But the 'forces of conservatism' have ensured that what liberalization occurs -- foundation hospitals, say -- is firmly under the thumb of Whitehall management, and non-state providers don't get a look in. So don't expect rapid modernization of our courts, hospitals, schools, or welfare system. Meanwhile the proposal for regional assemblies completely misses the point of another Third Way objective: bringing decision-making closer to the people. A new tier of government is not the way to do that, as Scotland and Wales show. Why not involve people really closely by making public services competitive and giving users the financial power to make the jump -- to the user-public's demands, and not the politicians' and providers'? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- FUTURE EVENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A few events coming up. On 19 November we have the Chairman of the House of Commons committee on international development, Tony Baldry, coming in; on 21 November it's the turn of Barry Sheerman, Chair of the education select committee; then on 26 November, Treasury committee Chair John McFall. For information and to request an invitation, contact events@adamsmith.org now. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AND REMEMBER... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse after every election! See our quote for the day on the http://www.adamsmith.org front page. e -- Dr Eamonn Butler Adam Smith Institute, 23 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BL, UK E-mail butler@adamsmith.org - Visit us online at www.adamsmith.org Tel +44 (0)20 7222 4995 - Fax +44 (0)20 7222 7544 To unsubscribe, visit www.adamsmith.org/lists.htm
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