The Government is keen on regulations that are
integrated, evidence-based and socially inclusive.
However the drugs trade is not integrated,
evidence-based or socially inclusive. The legal drugs
trade is regulated while the illegal drugs trade is
socially excluded, prohibited, on the grounds that
they are more harmful though there is no evidence.
Much research is going on to establish the basic
properties of good regulation. These reports below
suggest some of those properties. Illegal drug
regulations fail to demonstrate any of them.
In the UK the Better Regulation Task Force has
produced 'Principles of Good Regulation'::
"Good regulations and their enforcement should
meet the following five principles:
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Proportionality
- Consistency
- Targeting"
www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/taskforce/2000/PrinciplesLeaflet.pdf
Here's a copy with
our draft notes in reply.
In Europe modernisation of regulations is being
tackled by the Mandelkern Group on Better Regulation:
"It describes a comprehensive overall approach
with a set of seven core principles:
- necessity,
- proportionality,
- subsidiarity,
- transparency,
- accountability,
- accessibility and
- simplicity"
www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/Europe/eurodocs/Mandfinalreport.pdf
Drugs Strategy Update 2002:
p.11: "The problems of drug misuse are complex
and require integrated solutions and co-ordinated
delivery of services involving education,
intelligence and enforcement, social and economic
policy, and health. Tackling drugs requires effective
joint working between Government Departments at
national level and similar partnership working
between agencies at local level. High on the list of
Government priorities, the Home Office drives
delivery of the Drug Strategy at Ministerial and
official level, in partnership with the Department of
Health, the Department for Education and Skills, HM
Customs and Excise, the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office".
p.24: "Integrating action on substance misuse
within wider Government programmes will deliver
reductions in substance misuse alongside higher
educational achievement, better health and less
crime".
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/NationalStrategy/1038840683/Updated_Drug_Strategy_2002.pdf
'Adding It Up' report from
Government's Strategy Unit:
Leadership from Ministers and senior officials.
Training for new Ministers and senior civil servants
run by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies
should emphasise the importance of analysis for
evidence-based policy. Departments should redress any
bias against quantification and analysis.
Openness from analysts and policy makers. Departments
should produce an (annually reviewed) analytical
strategy and publish and externally audit long-term
quantitative research.
Better planning to match policy needs and analytical
provision. The Treasury, as part of the Spending
Review process, should identify deficiencies, gaps
and overlaps in analytical strategies. Central
Departments should review their analytical capability
to perform this challenge role.
Spreading best practice across Departments and
professions. It suggested enhancing the use of pilots
to test the impact of policies, making better use of
administrative data and communicating what data is
available. Specialists in Government should increase
networking.
www.addingitup.gov.uk/Background_info/bi_overview.cfm
