Publications

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RETHINKING TENNIS FOR THE BIG SOCIETY

Reversing decline, broadening the base, unleashing social enterprise

June 2011

Every year when Wimbledon comes around and the failings of British Tennis are laid bare in contrast to the marked success of the tournament, it has become a tradition to ask the same questions;

Why can’t Britain produce Tennis Champions?

Where does the Wimbledon money go?

What can we do to get more people playing?

This paper goes much deeper, going back to the modern historical origins – with a reprint in the annex of the original 1874 patent for Lawn Tennis – and comprehensively breaks down the reasons for decline in participation and performance since the 1930s through to 2011.

Download from here.

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CONSTITUENCY CRIME DATA REVEALED

For the first time ever, constituency crime data is revealed and ranked and crime heat maps and charts are reproduced online for each constituency in England and Wales. Using far more accurate and up to date population data, the paper reveals which constituencies have the highest and lowest total, violent, vehicle, robbery, other, asbo and burglary crime and crime rates.

A product of the EPC’s highly respected platform, www.ukcrimestats.com, it covers the period December 2010 to April 2011.

Published in June 2011.

Download from here.

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DECODING THE CRIME DATA

The first crime publication of the EPC, based on the findings of the new EPC platform, www.ukcrimestats.com, it covers the period December 2010 to February 2011.

Published in April 2011.

Download from here.

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SPACE: Britain’s New Frontier

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Britain faces an historic opportunity to be a major player in space and the government must rise to the challenge.

The EPC is the first British think tank to take a hard look at UK Space Policy and has found it wanting. Author, Jim Bennett, a space expert with over 30 years of experience at the highest practical and policy levels calls for radical redirection and a step change in political vision so that the UK can take a commanding position in the New Space Race.
Unlike the previous Space Race, dominated by state-owned entities, a new private sector is emerging which may be dominated by suborbital flight, led by Virgin Galactic who have yet to commit to a spaceport in the UK.
Whilst explaining the trajectory of the UK’s underperformance in Space which started with the implementation of the 1875 Explosives Act which prevented crucial rocket experimentation in the 1930s, the paper explains the genesis of the UK’s still significant niches (like satellite insurance and design) in the global space industry and makes the following policy recommendations;

Policy Recommendations:

1. The UK should broaden its cooperative perspective beyond Europe – 75% of funds are currently allocated to the European Space Agency.
2. The new UKSA must seek to take advantage of NASA’s international cooperative programmes which the UK has failed to do in the past
3. The Commonwealth States – Australia, Canada and India – all have areas of space expertise which the UK could successfully cooperate on.
4. Therefore the UK should aim to cooperate with Canada which has expertise in radar imaging satellites
5. And with Australia which has extensive launch ranges
6. As well as with India which has across the board capabilities including launch vehicles, satellites and now interplanetary probes
7. The UKSA should send key personnel to Ottawa for an extended stay at the Canadian Space Agency to study what a small-to-medium scale agency can accomplish
8. The UK should explore collaboration with Canada and Australia on dual-use (civil and military) space technologies and systems like communications and earth observations satellites to leverage UK defence investments in space and the high level of trust of the USA on technology-export issues
9. The UK should seek to learn and copy from the Isle of Man’s favourable operating environment for space commerce
10. The UK should seek to develop a civil regulatory framework for spaceflight and space activity that attracts capital from all round the world
11. The UK should seek to actively earn from the USA’s deep experience of licensing launch sites and spaceports with a view to the future licensing of sites like Lossiemouth in Scotland

Says author, Jim Bennett;
“Britain faces an historic opportunity to be a major player in space and the government must rise to the challenge“

“You don’t need Astronauts to have a successful space programme. The New Space environment now offers British entrepreneurs, financiers and scientists to take a seat at the main table on their own terms”.Bennett also says that the UK is failing to exploit its connections with the USA and the Commonwealth to advance its own space programme;

““Britain has networks of close ties, experiences, and mutual trust not just in one direction, but in three: Europe, the USA, and the Commonwealth. It should seek to maintain its existing productive ties with Europe, exploit the ease of business between the US and Britain to develop New Space entrepreneurship, and enhance its cooperation with the often-underestimated capabilities of Canada, Australia, and India”.

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SECURING OUR ENERGY FUTURE – Why and how it must be done

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In the launch paper of a new think tank, the Economic Policy Centre, a radical overhaul is called for in UK Energy Policy.
The paper calls for;
i) A return to basics – putting energy security first
ii) Scrapping of wasteful programmes – smart meters, carbon capture levy, government-financed R&D
iii) Creation of Clean and Secure Energy Obligation – based on Renewables Obigation but with 100% target by 2060 at a much lower buyout price and the inclusion of big impact technologies nuclear, large hydro, interconnectors and Severn Tidal Barrage / tidal lagoons
iv) Keeping coal-fired stations open beyond 2015 until new clean and secure plants come onstream
v) A new annual ranking system that keeps track of the energy security footprint and to create a competitive merit order
vi) Creation of clear lines of political responsibility for energy security
Says author and Chief Executive of the Economic Policy Centre, Dan Lewis;
“Britain has too much energy policy and it is back to front – it’s crazy to go on over-rewarding low impact, intermittent technologies while failing to secure investment for big impact, long lifespan, clean and secure technologies like large hydro, nuclear, interconnectors and a Severn Tidal Barrage or Tidal Lagoons. This will only lead to even greater future dependence on expensive, tight supplies of imported gas and very possibly, power cuts from the middle of the next decade. All this because government has failed to prioritise and factor in the energy security footprint of its own policy“.