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The top 100 most cited papers in social work journals in 2000–09 were recently listed in a British Journal of Social Work paper by Hodge, Lacasse and Benson. The citations of these 100 papers in a two-year period (2007–09) were identified and a further manual web-based search was conducted to identify some key features of the citing sources. Descriptive statistics are presented on language of publication and national location of citing authors, as well as type of citing source. Bivariate analysis was conducted of the national location of cited journal by national location of citing first author. This analysis shows a strong tendency towards within-country citation in both the UK and USA, providing some evidence of intellectual chauvinism amongst social work academics and, more specifically, evidence of a Great Atlantic Divide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Within the European Union (EU), substantial efforts are being made to achieve economic and social cohesion, and the reduction of health inequalities between EU regions is integral to this process. This paper is the first to examine how self-reported conditions and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) vary spatially between and within countries. Methods: Using 2014 European Social Survey (ESS) data from 20 countries, this paper examines how regional inequalities in self-reported conditions and NCDs vary for men and women in 174 regions (levels 1 and 2 Nomenclature of Statistical Territorial Units, 'NUTS'). We document absolute and relative inequalities across Europe in the prevalence of eight conditions: general health, overweight/obesity, mental health, heart or circulation problems, high blood pressure, back, neck, muscular or joint pain, diabetes and cancer. Results: There is considerable inequality in self-reported conditions and NCDs between the regions of Europe, with rates highest in the regions of continental Europe, some Scandinavian regions and parts of the UK and lowest around regions bordering the Alps, in Ireland and France. However, for mental health and cancer, rates are highest in regions of Eastern European and lowest in some Nordic regions, Ireland and isolated regions in continental Europe. There are also widespread and consistent absolute and relative regional inequalities in all conditions within countries. These are largest in France, Germany and the UK, and smallest in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. There were higher inequalities amongst women. Conclusion: Using newly available harmonized morbidity data from across Europe, this paper shows that there are considerable regional inequalities within and between European countries in the distribution of self-reported conditions and NCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the current Labour government's industrial policy—as most recently reflected in its document on manufacturing strategy—in the context of industrial policy in the UK over the last 50 years and the form that it has taken elsewhere in Europe. It concludes that the thematic priorities for UK industrial policy in the 1960s—international competitiveness, innovation, competition, and skills—continue to be the key themes of UK policy today. The paper presents data that illustrate the gaps that exist in key indicators of performance between the UK and its main economic competitors. The difference between the 1960s and the 2000s is that there are new instruments of policy. Two areas in particular are focused on—competition policy and technology policy—and an attempt is made to assess the likely effectiveness of these new instruments. The paper concludes that the international evidence base for these new approaches is reasonably robust but that it is still too soon to tell if they are having the hoped‐for impact on the performance of the UK economy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article explores eighteenth-century Scottish military service in a way that moves beyond debates about its role in the formation of Britishness. It makes some comparisons with Irish experience, and argues that many Scottish soldiers of the time were part of a wider European fraternity of military men. A study of their lives provides us with a window onto a comparatively neglected bigger subject – European consciousness among the eighteenth-century British and Irish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current discussion in Europe focuses closely on (partial) labour market de-regulation as a means to combat constantly high (youth) unemployment. The paper argues that this perspective is too narrow and fails to account for existing national institutional differences. It suggests that the focus should instead be on a combination of different institutional settings, rather than on single aspects. This general issue is approached by investigating the labour market entry process and its determinants in three European countries: West Germany, Italy and Great Britain. These countries differ substantially in their combinations of relevant institutional aspects: labour market regulation, and the education and training systems. Consequently, they display three distinct patterns of labour market entry. Great Britain is characterised by rapid but rather unstable market entry, whilst market entry in Germany is also rapid but relatively stable. The main problems exist in Italy, where first job searches are very protracted. However, once jobs have been found, they are rather stable. Despite substantial deregulation efforts in Italy over the past decade, this situation has changed little. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, several approaches have been proposed for the application of control banding concepts to the assessment and management of various workplace health and safety risks. Whilst many of the earlier approaches have originated in the UK, several of the most recent examples have been developed in Europe. The European schemes have attempted to build upon the lessons learned from the earlier control banding schemes and to apply them to new areas of health and safety. This paper analyses the evolution of the earlier approaches and reviews the more recent European developments in the context of continuing regulatory and societal demands for the improved assessment and regulation of workplace chemical risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers policy issues arising in the design, regulation and taxation of lotteries, focusing on the market for an on-line lottery game. Demand determines who buys lottery tickets and in what quantities. The design of lotteries affects the terms on which tickets are supplied. UK data suggest that its lottery may be priced too high to maximize lottery revenue more revenue might be raised if the proportion of sales allocated to tax and other levies were smaller. Having established the positive economics of lotteries, the paper then assesses their welfare implications. Pari-mutuel lotteries enjoy scale economies and, as natural monopolies, are invariably run either by government agencies or a regulated licensee. I estimate consumer surplus and identify the excess burden that arises from existing (over) taxation of lotteries. The large price elasticity of demand implies that revenue raised from the lottery is raised very inefficiently. Moreover, the demand for lottery tickets is inferior (and there is some evidence that such games are contagious and addictive). So using lotteries as a vehicle for raising revenue is extremely regressive. Finally, I consider other policy implications: induced effects on charitable giving and on other forms of gambling; the impact on the government budget; perceptions of risk; and distributional considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has contributed to confirming the link between education and health in developed countries. The analysis is based on 11 European Union countries. We estimate country-specific health functions, where the dependent variable is self-reported health status and the education attainment is one of the main inputs. All eight waves (1994–2001) of the European Community Household Panel are deployed. A random effects ordered probit is estimated in order to control, to a given extent, for unobserved heterogeneity. Explanatory variables are both time invariant (education attainment and gender) and time varying (gross wages, hours of work, age and living alone). Results confirm the positive impact of secondary education on health in most cases and tertiary education in all cases, even after controlling for other inputs in the health function and taking unobserved heterogeneity into account. Secondary education has an impact on health in all countries in the sample except for The Netherlands and UK. The effect does not differ between secondary and tertiary education in France, Ireland and Greece. The correlation between education and health is interpreted in different but complementary ways by diverse approaches and we may not disentangle the precise mechanism that connects health with education from our results. Anyway, it seems clear that better coordination is needed between education and health policies to effectively improve health literacy. Other relevant results from our study are that women register poorer health than men, age contributes to worsening health status and wages contribute positively to health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch is one of the most important plant products to man. It is an essential component of food providing a large proportion of the daily calorific intake and is important in non-food uses such as in adhesives. However, while much is known about the chemistry and pathways of synthesis for starch, there are major gaps in this knowledge so that it is not possible to modify the quantity or quality of starch produced by plants in a predictable way. While yield has improved markedly over the last century it is no longer improving faster than the growth in population and, at the same time, farmers' incomes in Europe have been falling, especially in the UK. Thus, production, even in Europe, is not much greater than demand. In the western world an increasing amount of the harvested crop is processed and, therefore, the quality of the raw product becomes an increasingly important issue. There is, therefore, an increasing need to combine the modern mathematical modelling tools with modern biochemical tools and the modern science of genomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines John Owen's Latin Epigrammata collection which went through numerous editions in the U.K. and Europe. Topics include Owen's adoption of common satiric practice of using pseudonyms or initials to identify the many names in his epigrams, the corrections made by multiple editors of Epigrammata to the identification of Sir Toby Matthew, and an analysis of text of epigram 8.38.

Background In Europe, more than 15 million people live with heart failure (HF). It imposes an enormous social, organizational and economic burden. As a reaction to impending impact on healthcare provision, different country-specific structures for HF-care have been established. The aim of this report is to provide an overview and compare the HF-care approaches of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK, and to open the possibility of learning from each other's experience. Methods A mixed methods approach was implemented that included a literature analysis, interviews and questionnaires with HF-patients and caregivers, and expert interviews with representatives from healthcare, health service research and medical informatics. Results The models of HF-care in all countries analyzed are based on the European Society of Cardiology guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of HF. Even though the HF-models differed in design and implementation in practice, key challenges were similar: (i) unequal distribution of care between urban and rural areas, (ii) long waiting times, (iii) unequal access to and provision of healthcare services, (iv) information and communication gaps and (v) inadequate implementation and financing of digital applications. Conclusion Although promising approaches exist to structure and improve HF-care, across the four countries, implementation was reluctant to embrace novel methods. A lack of financial resources and insufficient digitalization making it difficult to adopt new concepts. Integration of HF-nurses seems to be an effective way of improving current models of HF-care. Digital solutions offer further opportunities to overcome communication and coordination gaps and to strengthen self-management skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Burden of comorbidities are largely unknown in JIA. From 2000, national and international patient registries were established to monitor biologic treatment, disease activity and adverse events in patients with JIA. The aim of this analysis was to investigate in parallel, for the first time, three of the largest JIA registries in Europe/internationally—UK JIA Biologic Registers (BCRD/BSPAR-ETN), German biologic registers (BiKeR/JuMBO), multinational Pharmachild—to quantify the occurrence of selected comorbidities in patients with JIA. Methods Information on which data the registers collect were compared. Patient characteristics and levels of comorbidity were presented, focussing on four key conditions: uveitis, MAS, varicella, and history of tuberculosis. Incidence rates of these on MTX/biologic therapy were determined. Results 8066 patients were registered into the three JIA registers with similar history of the four comorbidities across the studies; however, varicella vaccination coverage was higher in Germany (56%) vs UK/Pharmachild (16%/13%). At final follow-up, prevalence of varicella infection was lower in Germany (15%) vs UK/Pharmachild (37%/50%). Prevalence of TB (0.1–1.8%) and uveitis (15–19%) was similar across all registers. The proportion of systemic-JIA patients who ever had MAS was lower in Germany (6%) vs UK (15%) and Pharmachild (17%). Conclusion This analysis is the first and largest to investigate the occurrence of four important comorbidities in three JIA registries in Europe and the role of anti-rheumatic drugs. Combined, these three registries represent one of the biggest collection of cases of JIA worldwide and offer a unique setting for future JIA outcome studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author consider the transnational, or interconnected aspects, of Catholicism, Protestantism, and Christianity in Great Britain and Ireland with Europe for the period circa 1689 to 1800. The author considers how British civilization during the period considered "Christendom;" notions of Protestant unity among European Protestants; and how Irish and English Catholics found support among their European brethren to face anti-Catholic British laws. The article also considers ongoing hostilities between Europe and the Ottoman Empire throughout the period, as well as the impact of the French Revolution upon British and Irish religious thought.

The article focuses on the review process of the European Works Councils (EWC) Directive with reference to the potential amendments proposed by the interested parties and considers the approach taken by the British government and its views towards the revision of the EWC Directive. The Directive aims to improve the provision of information to employees and their consultation at transnational level. The benefits and difficulties associated with the Directive were highlighted by studies and conferences organised by the social partners and EWCs members.

Cardiac nursing takes place within various spheres of health care, reaching into primary, secondary and tertiary care within theses, cardiac expertise falls within four domains: health promotion, cardiac prevention and rehabilitation, acute, chronic and episodic care and palliative care. This paper sets out the possibility for a staged development of the cardiac nurse, which could promote homogeneity in role, skill and practice. A framework ('Expert Cardiac Nurse Pathway') for the United Kingdom, is proposed here, and views on its usefulness throughout Europe are sought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Car prices in Europe are characterized by large and persistent differences across countries. The purpose of this paper is to document and explain this price dispersion. Using a panel data set extending from 1980 to 1993, we first demonstrate two main facts concerning car prices in Europe: (1) The existence of significant differences in quality adjusted prices across countries, with Italy and the U.K. systematically representing the most expensive markets. (2) Substantial year-to-year volatility that is to a large extent accounted for by exchange rate fluctuations and the incomplete response of local currency prices to these fluctuations. These facts are analysed within the framework of a multiproduct oligopoly model with product differentiation. The model identifies three potential sources for the international price differences: price elasticities generating differences in markups, costs, and import quota constraints. Local currency price stability can be attributed either to the presence of a local component in marginal costs, or to markup adjustment that is correlated with exchange rate volatility: the latter requires that the perceived elasticity of demand is increasing in price. We find that the primary reason for the higher prices in Italy is the existence of a strong bias for domestic brancs that generates high markups for the domestic firm (Fiat). In the U.K. higher prices are mainly attributed to better equipped cars and/or differences in the dealer discount practices. The import quota constraints are found to have a significant impact on Japanese car prices in Italy, France and the U.K. With respect to local currency price stability, a large percentage of the documented price inertia can be attributed to local costs, and a smaller fraction to markup adjustment that is indicative of price discrimination. Based on these results we conjecture that the EMU will substantially reduce the year-to-year volatility observed in the car price data, but without further measures to increase European integration, it will not completely eliminate existing cross-country price differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports developments related to dermatology. Schedule of the International Symposium on Psoriasis and Psoriasis-Arthritis; Duration of the Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology; Location of the meeting of the British Society for Dermatopathology.

Background In responding to Covid-19, governments have tried to balance protecting health while minimizing gross domestic product (GDP) losses. We compare health-related net benefit (HRNB) and GDP losses associated with government responses of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Sweden from UK healthcare payer perspective. Methods We compared observed cases, hospitalizations and deaths under 'mitigation' to modelled events under 'no mitigation' to 20 July 2020. We thus calculated healthcare costs, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and HRNB at £20,000/QALY saved by each country. On per population (i.e. per capita) basis, we compared HRNB with forecast reductions in 2020 GDP growth (overall or compared with Sweden as minimal mitigation country) and qualitatively and quantitatively described government responses. Results The UK saved 3.17 (0.32–3.65) million QALYs, £33 (8–38) billion healthcare costs and £1416 (220–1637) HRNB per capita at £20,000/QALY. Per capita, this is comparable to £1455 GDP loss using Sweden as comparator and offsets 46.1 (7.1–53.2)% of total £3075 GDP loss. Germany, Spain, and Sweden had greater HRNB per capita. These also offset a greater percentage of total GDP losses per capita. Ireland fared worst on both measures. Countries with more mask wearing, testing, and population susceptibility had better outcomes. Highest stringency responses did not appear to have best outcomes. Conclusions Our exploratory analysis indicates the benefit of government Covid-19 responses may outweigh their economic costs. The extent that HRNB offset economic losses appears to relate to population characteristics, testing levels, and mask wearing, rather than response stringency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines British, Scottish, Welsh and Irish film cultures and their political and cultural parameters that may provide a framework for thinking about national film cultures. This paper considers the contemporary political significance of nationalism and national identity, as well as the crucial relational concept of core and periphery. It looks at cultural and institutional contexts wherein national film cultures may develop. A national film culture should make sense of the conditions of that nation and of the forces that shape it. Film culture in Scotland continues to be institutionally identified with filmmaking.

The article offers information on quality of care research in Europe. One study explored the effectiveness of computerized guidelines on patients, the behavior of clinicians and organization outcomes in an international setting. Another paper investigated whether the new pay-for-performance scheme for family practitioners in Great Britain has led to good clinical practice or has encouraged the abuse of its measures by excluding appropriate patients.

With the rise of digital technologies, electronic learning and communication tools are becoming a firm part of academia to promote knowledge of health sciences. This study sought to analyse the attitude of students regarding social media and digital learning for study purposes in sport and exercise science. A survey was carried out with a questionnaire (20 main items) in six sport science faculties, equally spread across Germany (G), Italy (I) and the United Kingdom (UK) between February and October 2017. The focus areas were students' usage of social media (Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Skype, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube) for academic purposes and their use of e-learning. Data were analysed by quantitative and qualitative methods. 229 students participated in the study (G: 68, I: 121, UK: 40). While YouTube was mostly used for receiving knowledge, WhatsApp and Facebook showed additional preferences for peer contacts for learning purposes and knowledge discussions. Preferred online data sources were PubMed (77%), free access journals (67%), YouTube (66%) and Wikipedia (63%). Often used digital learning materials were own universities' PowerPoints (77%), scripts (59%) and scientific articles (53%). However, some preferences showed national differences. The evaluated participants showed an overall high use of social media and e-learning tools for their studies. Students would like more digital learning sources made available to them by their institutions. However, some differences in preferences of digital learning or communication tools may exist and this should be considered for international approaches to promote health knowledge among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute and compare risk-adjusted CEO pay in the United States and United Kingdom, where the risk adjustment is based on estimated risk premiums stemming from the equity incentives borne by CEOs. Controlling for firm and industry characteristics, we find that U.S. CEOs have higher pay, but also bear much higher stock and option incentives than U.K. CEOs. Using reasonable estimates of risk premiums, we find that risk-adjusted U.S. CEO pay does not appear to be large compared to that of U.K. CEOs. We also examine differences in pay and equity incentives between a sample of non-U.K. European CEOs and a matched sample of U.S. CEOs, and find that risk-adjusting pay may explain about half of the apparent higher pay for U.S. CEOs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background The contemporary environment is a complex of interactions between physical, biological, socio-economic systems with major impacts on public health. However, gaps in our understanding of the causes, extent and distribution of these effects remain. The public health community in Sandwell West Midlands has collaborated to successfully develop, pilot and establish the first Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) programme in Europe to address this 'environmental health gap' through systematically linking data on environmental hazards, exposures and diseases. Methods Existing networks of environmental, health and regulatory agencies developed a suite of innovative methods to routinely share, integrate and analyse data on hazards, exposures and health outcomes to inform interventions. Results Effective data sharing and horizon scanning systems have been established, novel statistical methods piloted, plausible associations framed and tested, and targeted interventions informed by local concerns applied. These have influenced changes in public health practice. Conclusion EPHT is a powerful tool for identifying and addressing the key environmental public health impacts at a local level. Sandwell's experience demonstrates that it can be established and operated at virtually no cost. The transfer of National Health Service epidemiological skills to local authorities in 2013 provides an opportunity to expand the programme to fully exploit its potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with evolution of copyright act in Great Britain and the impact of legal innovations in the U.S. and other countries on the British law. Topics discussed include the consultations launched to review intellectual property (IP) laws in Great Britain, public consultations on copyright reform across Europe, and the role of business in these initiatives. An overview of the history of copyright in Europe is outlined.

We use employment data for 2008-2012 to analyse the impact of the subprime and Eurozone crises on the British and German financial sector. In the UK, the sector contracted and its spatial concentration increased across regions and urban hierarchy, with London as the sole winner. In Germany there has been no contraction overall, and no significant change in the spatial distribution of financial employment. We argue that while in both countries forced consolidation and financial re-regulation have acted as centripetal forces, in Germany they have been offset by strong regional and local banking, underpinned by a decentralized state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a five-nations project in comparative child protection to provide recommendations on policy and practice to inform the redevelopment of the Swiss child protection system. The Swiss Federal Government and the Optimus and Oak Foundations commissioned the project--collective title: Association Programme National pour la Protection de l'Enfant. We identify the historical developmental trajectories of child protection systems together with common drivers: the evidential basis for the prevalence and effects of child abuse, the co-joining of social and economic policies and practices to promote early investment in children, the influence of children's rights and comparative international league tables on child well-being. We describe the cross-national project methodology and analysis of results. Three key indicators for the performance of national child protection systems are indicated: creating a culturally sensitive child protection governance framework, building a relational heart and using evidence to inform policy and practice. These encapsulate the recommendations made with respect to the Swiss child protection system. The results provide a prototype model with potential utility in similar cross-national studies, and add weight to the argument that cross-cultural learning in the context of a globalised society is not only possible, but desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lowering energy (calorie) intake is essential in managing a healthy weight. One method of doing this is substituting sugar with low/no-calorie sweeteners. The safety of sweeteners has been debated, but little is known about how they are perceived by professionals responsible for weight management advice. We sought to explore dietitian perceptions of sweeteners and to identify the practical advice they provide about them. Methods: We collected data in France, Germany, Hungary, Portugal and the United Kingdom. We used face-toface interviews and a novel online tool designed to engage people with online content in a way that approximates everyday processes of making sense of information. Results: We identified four approaches to sweeteners that dietitians took: (1) sweeteners should not be used, (2) they should be limited and used primarily as a transitional product, (3) sweetener use was decided by the client and (4) sweeteners should be recommended or at least allowed. Where dietitians are reticent to recommend sweeteners this is because they feel it is important for consumers to reduce their attachment to sweet tastes and of evidence linking the consumption of sweeteners to increased appetite. There is also uncertainty about the possible negative health effects of sweeteners. Conclusions: Dietitians' perceptions about sweeteners are uncertain, ambivalent and divergent, sometimes explicitly being linked to fears about adverse health effects. Clear and authoritative guidance is required on scientific evidence around sweeteners as well as the ways in which they can be used in dietetic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the relationship between interior design and women's development of citizenship in Great Britain from 1918 through 1928. An overview of the British government's Women’s Housing Sub-Committee, including in regard to its impact on gender in housing in Great Britain during the early Interwar Period, is provided.

This review article offers a European perspective on the pluralistic, principles-based model of intellectual property (IP) advanced by Robert Merges in his book Justifying Intellectual Property. After introducing Merges’s model and theory of IP with reference to IP theories generally, other pluralistic legal models, and patterns of judicial reasoning in the patent and copyright fields, the article argues that European jurisprudence offers broad support for Merges’s operational model of IP, while also challenging certain aspects of his wider analysis. They include his ‘one size fits all’ foundational theory of IP, his account of key IP rules and practices, and his choice and conception of IP’s midlevel principles. Through this critique the article draws attention to the utilitarian bias of Merges’s model; a bias which undermines its pluralistic claims, in part by undermining Merges’s own foundational theory of IP. The result is to underline the limits of a regime unconcerned with its own normative basis, and the need for more rather than less discussion of IP theory, including more work of the type that Merges’s book undertakes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article will provide a long-term assessment of Britain’s relatively liberal (albeit constrained after 1962) immigration policy through an investigation of ethnic minority self-employment in Newcastle upon Tyne. It will offer an examination of immigrant experiences at grassroots level with regards to the employment sector and a reassessment of ethnic minority integration situated within a Western context. It will trace the development of entrepreneurship amongst Newcastle’s Muslim immigrant community from its arrival in Britain through to its emergence as a fixed attribute on the city’s landscape. A comparison with the German city of Bremen helps expose the long-term legacies of immigration histories and policies, and the role that Islam plays in determining levels of ethnic entrepreneurship. By drawing upon government documents and correspondence, Census material and a wide array of secondary literature, this article asserts that the literature focusing on immigrant aspirations and self-determination in the British labour market during the post-Second World War period needs revising. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the wearing of the kirpan, a ceremonial dagger worn by Sikhs, in relation to British government policies about the wearing of clothing considered to be religiously symbolic in schools. Topics include the role of freedom of religion and religious pluralism in European societies, the nature of the liberal state, and human rights implications of the wearing of the kirpan.

Darren Meale is a Senior Associate at Dentons in London specialising in intellectual property advice and litigation. He is also a Deputy District Judge in the English County Courts (on the South Eastern Circuit).It has long been possible under English and European trade mark law for an infringer to excuse himself from liability by claiming only to be trading under his own name. But what is the precise scope of that defence?The defence is now available, in theory, to all sorts of personal, registered, brand and trading names of traders. That is provided that the traders seeking to rely on it are doing so in an honest manner. To be deemed honest, traders must overcome a number of factors, not all of which are logical or consistent with the nature of a trade mark law infringement defence.This article explores the jurisprudence of the “own name” defence developed over the past 20 or so years, with a focus on its recent refinement in a series of decisions by Mr Justice Arnold in the English High Court. It highlights a number of inconsistencies and challenges within that case law, and criticises some of the factors considered relevant by the English and European courts. It also proposes some alternative questions which might better address the issue of an own name trader's honesty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The past year has seen contrasting decisions in the English and German courts regarding access to leniency materials, with the English courts proving to be a more claimant friendly forum in this regard.In the UK, the Government has proposed several reforms meant to improve private actions, including the introduction of an opt-out class action system.Almost 10 years since its inception, the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal has issued a first damages award—an award including exemplary damages and paving the way for similar claims against defendants who have not been fined by competition authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Despite the ban on misleading descriptors such as light or mild cigarettes in Europe, there are still widespread misperceptions of the relative harmfulness of different brands of cigarettes among smokers. This study examined the extent to which smokers in three European countries believed that some cigarette brands are less harmful and why, using data from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Europe surveys. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were completed among nationally representative samples of 4,956 current smokers (aged ≥ 18) from Germany (n = 1,515), France (n = 1,735) and the United Kingdom (n = 1,706) conducted between September 2006 and November 2007. Logistic regression models examined whether outcomes, including beliefs that some cigarettes could be less harmful than others, varied by socio-demographic and country of residence. Findings: Around a quarter of smokers in the UK and France, and a third in Germany believed some cigarettes are less harmful than others. Overall, of smokers who falsely believed that some cigarettes are less harmful, 86.3% thought that tar/nicotine yields, 48.7% taste, and 40.4% terms on packs such as ‘smooth’ or ‘ultra’ indicated less harmful brands. About a fifth of smokers across all countries chose their brand based on health reasons, and a similar proportion gave tar yields as a reason for choosing brands. Conclusions: Our research suggests that the current European Tobacco Products Directive is inadequate in eliminating misperceptions about the relative risk of brand descriptors on cigarettes. There is therefore an urgent need to protect smokers in Europe from these misperceptions via stronger measures such as plain packaging regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on international law and imperialism in the 18th century. The author identifies a tension between European law and universalism in the realm of international law, and analyzes the arguments of jurists and scholars such as Victorian jurist Sir Travers Twiss, and scholars Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Jeremy Bentham. The article also discusses the East India Company in relation to empire, international law, and the British House of Commons in the 1790s.

Choice and competition policies in public services are popular reform strategies in many European countries. Using the case of health care in the UK, this article analyses the effects of choice and competition policies by using subjective well-being (SWB) as an indicator of welfare and equity. Existing literature on welfare effects is focused on measuring efficiency and quality and it is here that SWB offers an alternative perspective. In this article, I use SWB to assess the welfare effects of the choice of hospital policy in the English NHS. Choice preferences are then analysed with a particular focus on the views of different social groups and the results are related to the overall welfare effects of choice with the purpose of capturing equity effects. Results indicate overall positive welfare effects of choice and competition with marked differences between social groups. While it is groups with lower income and lower education that state a higher demand choice, the positive welfare effects I identify are felt most strongly by high income and high education groups. The results highlight the previously debated equity problem arising from choice and competition policies in health care. (JEL codes: D63, I11, I14) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Devolution has increased the divergence in law and policy, and this has impacted on the social work services as part of the welfare state. It has led to debate about the changing nature of social citizenship within the UK. Many adults who come to the attention of social work services already have conditional citizenship by virtue of poverty, environment, illness and disability. This article demonstrates how this can be further compounded by the welfare agencies themselves by comparing the mental health law frameworks for Scotland and England. It argues that differences in participation ultimately led to the different civil and social rights being enshrined in law. However, law is just one ingredient that defines citizenship; the political ethos and the public service culture are two other key ingredients. This article will demonstrate that these have also been significant in creating divergence. Finally, the article will explore whether this social citizenship model for mental health has a wider relevance for all people who use social work services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article is concerned with the conflicting perspectives of pay systems and structure that arise between legal opinion and labour economics/industrial relations theory and practice. It considers the progress of two equal pay claims concerning service-related pay involving the same employer, within uncontested ‘work rated as equivalent’ criteria and on basically similar facts. The article describes the payment systems adopted by the employer that are at the root of the claims and describes the Employment Tribunals’ principal findings of fact and summarises the judgments of the UK courts and the European Court of Justice. The findings and decisions provide a basis for a discussion of the impacts that bring about conflicts between these perspectives and questions whether the present arrangements for dealing with equal pay claims that challenge a pay structure are appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short abstracts are presented of historical articles of interest published primarily in 2009 in numerous journals, including "20th Century British History," "Anglo-Norman Studies," "Annales de Bretagne," and many others.

This special issue of International Affairs seeks to stimulate more debate and interest in Britain on North Africa. This relatively neglected area of British foreign policy has largely been funneled through the European Union (EU), where the focus of policy has been on preventive security, above all policing against illegal migration and the spread of radicalism and terrorism. The main driver for regional change and potential insecurity is now demographic, evident in the high levels of youth unemployment across North Africa. In facing the challenge of leadership successions over the next decade, it is in the interest of the EU, and in turn, Britain, to engage more closely with North Africa's younger generations to ensure the region's longer term security and stability. Britain has few strong bilateral links with North African societies, however, with the exception of private sector investments in the energy sector and security cooperation. New investment opportunities and a demand for English language and other forms of training for employment could put Britain at an advantage in responding to North African demands for diversified international relationships. A greater focus is also needed on local development opportunities to assist new actors to assume their own economic and political roles, as a better means of delivering security and jobs than relying on central states to deliver both. The articles in this special issue offer new insights into developments in the region, as well as analyses of European and American policy responses to the challenges identified. A common theme is that the region has been held back by a combined lack of institutional safeguards and political participation, with negative impacts on the spread of the economic benefits of higher growth rates and investment. Authoritarian leaderships have proved reliable partners for the EU and Britain in the past, but will they continue to do so in future? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how the Extradition Act of 2003 is being implemented in Great Britain. It examines how the Act's relevant provisions can effect the appropriate implementation of the European Arrest Warrant that was created at the European level by a Framework Decision in June 2002. It explores the two flaws of the legislation, namely, it is unnecessarily complicated and pointlessly obtuse. It cites at least five cases to show that the resulting problems for the arrests could have been avoided if relevant sections of the Act were drafted simply.

Historians have repeatedly compared Henry VII with his continental contemporaries, Louis XI of France and Ferdinand of Aragon. Around 1600 the writers of politic history emphasized Henry's wisdom in drawing lessons in statecraft from his fellow monarchs. By 1900 analysts of the ‘New Monarchy’ placed more stress on the common circumstances that underlay the revival of monarchical power, but thereby raised awkward questions about similarities and differences in the development of national states. Latterly a model of European state formation has been constructed which sets Henry's kingship less comfortably alongside those of Louis and Ferdinand. This should lead us not to abandon, but to reshape the attempt to set Henry in his European context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparations for the next UK defence review are under way; a struggle is imminent and the lines of battle are being drawn. There is a grave danger that in the new ‘age of austerity’ defence planning—and strategy generally—will be driven by tribal conflicts, either between supporters of one or other of the armed services or between contending viewpoints about the nature of conflict. And there will be others who will argue that the defence review should be driven simply by the need to reduce government expenditure, as quickly as possible. These arguments not only reduce the defence debate to a struggle between various incompatible and uncompromising tribal beliefs—‘war among the fetishes’, perhaps—they also miss the point. This article gauges the extent of the economic challenges which the UK defence establishment will confront over the coming decade. The authors consider how best to approach the problem of undiminished (and even expanding) commitments at a time of decreasing resources. They argue that defence planning should be driven by the notion of value (the ratio of function to cost), which in turn requires both a clear national political vision and a defence establishment which is output- rather than input-oriented. Finally, the authors assert that defence must transform itself to be able to achieve the outputs required in the most efficient and responsive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The series of Creighton memorial lectures, delivered annually since 1907, reflects changing interests and priorities within British historiography. This centenary address seeks to illustrate attitudes to the history of Europe as revealed especially in the lectures, but also in the context of the development of the historical profession in this country as a whole. Many of the issues raised were already adumbrated in the work of Mandell Creighton himself. How far was Britain a part of Europe for historiographical purposes? Did a British perspective involve any particular presuppositions or yield particular insights? And in what ways did the study of individual foreign countries interplay with attitudes to Britain, and to the Continent as a whole? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mary Tudor's reign is still mainly perceived through the eyes of her opponents who, with the help of English printed propaganda, created a lasting image of cruelty and failure. The fact that several incidents of her reign were publicized and celebrated all over western Europe has so far been widely neglected. This article shows how and why England's reconciliation with Rome was made known to her European neighbours and how they perceived it. By examining the networks behind the propagation of news from England and analysing the forms and contents of twenty-three Italian, Latin, Spanish, Dutch and German publications, it will show that England's official return to Catholicism was a perfect opportunity for different Catholic powers to celebrate religious unity in Europe and to ensure awareness of their contribution to its achievement. It will thus demonstrate that news from Marian England could be of great propaganda value and could trigger expressions of joy and hope all over Catholic Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on debates over the restriction of rights towards Muslim women in Great Britain. Particular attention is given to Muslim women wearing the niqab, which is a face veil. The article argues that despite the political conflicts caused by the "veil debate" in 2006 on the niqab, government regulation against wearing it was not predicted. The article suggests that wearing the veil is not against the law because of Britain's church and state policies as well as Article Nine of the European Commission of Human Rights.

This article argues that since 1997 the Labour governments have practised a European policy of 'utilitarian supranationalism'. Their strategy has been characterised by a preparedness to embrace European policy solutions in line with Labour's 1997 manifesto commitment to pursue a constructive diplomacy in the European Union (EU). This policy, it is argued, has led to a stronger British imprint on the character of the EU. However, this (upstream) stage of utilitarian supranationalism has been accompanied by efforts in the downstream stage to reduce the domestic electoral salience of the EU. Consequently, the government's diplomacy shows no sign of garnering additional domestic support for the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]