The Wilberforce Society produces several policy proposals each term on a diverse range of issues, covering economic, foreign, domestic and legal affairs. Proposals provide innovative and practical responses to contemporary issues.
Each proposal is written by one or several members of the society, and is presented to the society at a meeting attended by a guest chair with expertise on the given topic. With the counsel of the society members and the chair, a final proposal is created, published, and sent to interested parties.
Proposal topics are usually chosen by the members of the society writing the proposal.
The society also accepts commissions to produce research and proposals on specific topics.
Latest Policy Paper
Reform of the Legal Profession Download Paper
This paper examines the English legal profession as it stands, as well as assessing the major proposals for reform. The paper also analyses recent changes to the legal profession and their potential impact, including the LSA 2007 and the role of ABS models.
The paper’s proposals include that the legal education system in England and Wales should have a common starting point for both barristers and solicitors, similar to the Hong Kong model; that a merger of the professional regulatory bodies would be unworkable in the short term; and that while the two professions of barrister and solicitor should not be merged forcibly, a gradual movement towards solicitor-advocacy should be encouraged.
Please cite this paper as: The Wilberforce Society, ‘Reform of the Legal Profession’ (Cambridge, February 2012)
Featured Proposals
National Security and the Prime Minister – George Bangham & Sarang Shah Download Paper
A new paper by George Bangham and Sarang Shah, examining the UK’s National Security Council since its formation by David Cameron in 2010.
Locating the NSC’s formation in wider debates on the UK’s constitution, the executive authority of the Prime Minister within Cabinet government, and the role of military intelligence in policymaking, it proposes two major changes to the NSC’s role and its associated regulatory framework.
Firstly, it is proposed that the NSC be placed on a statutory footing as an amendment to current legislation in the Intelligence Services Act (1994). Defining the NSC’s existence and requiring its decision on certain executive powers such as the declaration of war would, in this paper’s estimation, act as a valuable constitutional check on Prime Ministerial power.
Secondly, a strengthened framework is proposed for the regulation of the NSC by Parliament, though the Intelligence & Security Committee. The case is made that, if national security in the 21st century may be defined as a public confidence that normal life may be conducted without personal or national danger, the public interest is served by more open scrutiny of high-level security policy, thereby increasing public confidence and accountability.
The authors are grateful for the help of Lord Wilson of Dinton, Professor Christopher Andrew, The Rt Hon. Jack Straw MP, and the members of the Wilberforce Society in their seminar.
Please cite this paper as: The Wilberforce Society, ‘National Security and the Prime Minister’ (Cambridge, March 2012)
Regulation and Reform of the Greyhound Racing Industry Download Paper
This paper sets out to evaluate the state of the greyhound racing industry in the United Kingdom, looking at regulatory structures and mechanisms, and incentives for racing and animal welfare. The paper argues for the closure of unregulated tracks, and for the industry to look into accessing funds from unclaimed winnings and dormant betting accounts to increasing support for animal welfare and effective self regulation.
Tackling Homelessness Download Paper
Tackling Homelessness proposes a set of 13 policies to reduce the number of people becoming homeless and to make it easier for the homeless to be re-housed. Proposals cover increased provision of services to the homeless, including an expansion of the government’s duty to provide emergency housing, the provision of specialist mobile health care clinics, and the provision of a PO Box and voicemail service to the homeless. Significant reforms to the way housing benefit is administered are also called for, to make it easier for the homeless to re-enter housing and to prevent new homelessness occuring. Finally, a set of policies are presented to increase available housing by maximising use of existing homes and by increasing the housing stock.