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Product Description
When it comesTo superlight disc brakesThere has been one benchmarkoverThe past seven years: MAGURA Marta SL! Minimum weight, combinedwith unmatched power, modulation and performance. Uses new lighter weight Storm rotor (not included) Dual piston caliper w/ automatic wear adjustment Featherweight carbon 2 finger lever blade Integrated reach adjustment Pre-bled Rotor sold separately Includes lever, caliper, hose and mounting hardware Approximate weight 295 grams 5-year leakproof warranty aftReview Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
Reviews 1 - 15 (46 Reviews Total) | | Next 15 |
User Reviews
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2013
Strengths: I replace my "Julie" brake system with Magura's "Marta SL"'s about 5 years ago and I'm glad I did. The SL's have much better braking control on downhill's especially around tight switchbacks and loose dirt and gravel than any other braking system I have used. I mainly ride XC single track and Moab rocky jeep trails but also ride 14,000'+ peaks with LONG fast and intense descents.
Weaknesses: Brake pads are a little pricey.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 5 years
Price Paid: $600.00
Purchased At: REI Prodeal
Similar Products Used: Magura Julie, Shamano, Avis OX.
Bike Setup: Cannondale Jekell Left Limited Edition. Fox Float R Adjustible Rear Shock. Shimano XTR Cassestt. XT Hollowteck Crank. Magura Marta SL Front / Rear Braking System. Crossride Tubless Wheels. Monkey Light handlebars, Buzz Off Leather Seat. Crankbrothers Egg Beater Peddles.XTR Chain.
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2012
Strengths: best modulation I have ever felt in MTB brakes
Weaknesses: Not the most powerful brakes I have used.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: three years on two bikes
Similar Products Used: Many Avid models. Hayes strokers. shimano XT
Bike Setup: Pivot Mach 5.7 Carbon ( awesome bike ) All XO drivetrain. DT swiss Tricon wheels. Fox suspension
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2011
Strengths: Stopping power, light weight, look good
Weaknesses: Can't be maintained, sometimes fussy
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Similar Products Used: Shimano, Avid, Hope...
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2011
Strengths: Easy to install and setup. Light, quiet strong-enough brake power, decent lever feel.
Weaknesses: Lever and travel is a little big, feels more like a 2 finger minimum lever....but not a bothersome issue.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $230.00
Purchased At: Price Point
Similar Products Used: Avid Juicy 7, Avid Elixir CR
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2011
Strengths: Reliability, consistent performance, modulation, light weight
Weaknesses: Maybe lacking the raw stopping power of some systems
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Purchased At: Mighty Riders
Similar Products Used: Avid Elixer. Hayes Mag, XT, XTR, BB7
Bike Setup: Salsa Big Mama, Easton Havens, XT kit, light but strong parts..
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2011
Strengths: light weight brakes with looks to match
Weaknesses: stupied caliper piston
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $400.00
Bike Setup: giant xtc mavic crossmax slr wheels carbon everything
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2011
Strengths: Lightweight, quality engineering, non-toxic fluid, carbon levers, magnetic pads, relatively easy to bleed
Weaknesses: Relatively expensive, intermittent noise from front set
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $368.00
Purchased At: ebay
Similar Products Used: Avid Elixir
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2011
Strengths: Very Lightweight, great looks.
Weaknesses: Not enough stopping power
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Similar Products Used: Hayes Nine, Hayes Sole, Avid Code, Avid Code R, Avid Elixirs, Avid Juicys
Bike Setup: Enduro SL carbon, Fox 36
Date Reviewed: October 7, 2010
Strengths: Brakeability, one finger braking
Weaknesses: Occasional Bleeding, price
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Bike Setup: Intense 5.5
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2010
Strengths: Incredible Modulation and lightweight
Weaknesses: Tough to bleed
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid: $200.00
Purchased At: ebay used and came w
Similar Products Used: Avid Juicy Ultimate
Bike Setup: Use it in 3 bikes, my racing Titus X Exogrid, Intense 5.5 and a Gary Fische Hi Fi
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2010
Strengths: Easy to install. Extremely solid, quiet--VERY quiet!
Weaknesses: If any, brake fluid cable is close to spokes.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $250.00
Purchased At: Green Mtn Sports
Similar Products Used: Avid Juicy 7
Bike Setup: Yeti ASR
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2010
Strengths: Light. Great stopping power with 160 mm front and back. Haven't had to adjust them since they were installed. No issues.
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At: EBAY
Similar Products Used: x9
Bike Setup: Scott Spark Team, Sram XX DT Swiss xrc1250, Magura Marta SL, mostly Kenda tires, Extralite saddle, Candy 2ti.
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2010
Strengths: radial master cylinder design, caliper and cylinder construction/finish, stupideasy to bleed, and of course they're super lightweight for u weenies.
Weaknesses: T7 torx reservoir cover screw heads strip out way too easily. See below. I would prefer a removable hbar clamp. SL wavys may be more vulnerable to warping.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Purchased At: EP
Similar Products Used: First set of hydros for me. No real frame of reference.
Bike Setup: 2x9, full rigid w/ thru-axle. King/Mavics with fat tractor tires for gnarly riding.
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2010
Strengths: Looks, feel, ease of set up, quiet (after short break in), strong, no fade.
Weaknesses: None yet.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Price Paid: $400.00
Purchased At: Auction site
Similar Products Used: Hayes, Shimano XTR, Avid.
Bike Setup: 08 Specialized Enduro and 2010 Specialized Epic
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2009
Strengths: Quiet, good modulation and lever feel. Mine are 2008s and I got them on an S Works Safire that was new on closeout. It's easy to replace pads (yahoo no spring wires/retainers-it's magnetic.) And it only took a few minutes to center up using a butter knife to push in the pads, and a feeler gauge. The lever feel is good and they get better with every ride. It just feels like a quality product.
Weaknesses: I read that there were some who had issues with the lever reach adjuster screw coming loose and getting lost so I dabbed a drop of clear nail polish into the threads as a preemptive measure. Not really a weakness in my case as it hasn't happened to me; I'm just being careful.
Bottom Line:
Expand full review >>
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Came on bike
Similar Products Used: Hayes Stroker Trails (on my Anthem). Previously, used XTR V brakes.
Bike Setup: Spec S-Works Safire; X0/XTR, Roval Control wheels, Captain 2.0 rear, Eskar 2.3 front. Thomson seatpost/stem, SW CF bar, Lizardskin grips. Old Time ATAC carbon pedals. Inform RL Bontrager saddle.
Reviews 1 - 15 (46 Reviews Total) | | Next 15 |
Review Options: Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
Related Marta SL Forum Posts
Magura Marta SL hose replacement. Question if/how the Clarks kit would work
Has anyone used the Clarks kit to replace the hoses on a Marta SL or any other Magura brake with the straight connection to the caliper. I swapped frames and need a longer hose. I was looking at this hose but my Marta SL has the straight connection into the caliper NOT the banjo bolt as seen on ... Read More »
Magura Marta sl carbon or magura mt6
Wanting disc brakes. I found a set of Marta sl carbon complete with extra lever, caliper, discs and service kit. Also found a complete set of mt6 with discs. Both close in price. Which one is the better buy? From what I read both are good brakes and both would be fine. Marta sl being an older style ... Read More »
Magura Marta Sl issues
I'm not giving up on these just yet but after two bleeds of my front brake my lever still goes all the way to my bars. I have been told that some Marta's master cylinder in the levers will fail to seal or hold pressure therefore having to replace the whole lever. These are only a year and a half o ... Read More »
Marta/ Marta SL
Had a set of 07 Martas on my enduro, and the front master cylinder sprung a pretty good leak. So, once i found that you can't re-build a magura master cylinder, I turned to ebay. I bought a set of Marta SL off ebay without giving the forethought as to if the Marta and Marta SL would be compatible. ... Read More »
Magura Marta SL adapter help!
I just bought a set of Marta SL brakes off of eBay. I didn't realize that the caliper was designed for IS mounts. :( Have never seen this before. Anyhow, I have a Niner post mount fork and need to find an adapter to convert my IS caliper to PM. I have found some discussions about doing this on the w ... Read More »


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Available in 11 and 15 ounce sizes, our premium ceramic coffee mugs feature wrap-around art and large handles for easy gripping. Dishwasher and microwave safe, these cool coffee mugs will be your new favorite way to consume hot or cold beverages.
In honour of the Sailor Moon reboot (and a favourite show of mine when I was a kid), I've decided to draw the famous five main scouts in a cute style with vivid colours!
I tried to incorporate design elements that combine the old TV show and the new one (rather, the manga ver.).

subset: commoncrawl


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Tag: SeeEye2Eye
SeeEyE2Eye Webcam Periscope and Teleprompter
SeeEyE2EyE is an strange, but sort of cool hardware device that hooks up to your Mac to serve double duty as a teleprompter or iChat (Skype, etc.) video chat assistant. Basically, it's a kind of periscope arrangement that will project a small part of your screen to an angled transparent surface in f...
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more updates- Apple Remote Desktop updated with Yosemite support
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- Parallels Access 2.5 released, adds file manager, computer-to-computer remote access
- The Google Translate iOS app is about to get a lot smarter


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Kim Zolciak Hops On The Waist Trainer Bandwagon And Flaunts Her Crazy "Natural" Curves | 1293 pts |
A big swirling bucket of the latest rumors, celebrity news and Hollywood gossip. The premier celebrity gossip app.
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BY MICHAEL BARONE, Investor's Business Daily
Commentators both left and right agree that Barack Obama's second inaugural speech Monday was highly partisan, with shoutouts to his constituencies on the left and defiance of his critics on the right.
Obama quoted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and made brief reference to Abraham Lincoln's sublime Second Inaugural ("blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword"). But there was not much in the way of "malice toward none, with charity for all."
There were more references than in many inaugural speeches to specific programs and policies. One interesting question is what practical effect they will have in the next few years.
"We reject the belief," Obama said, "that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future." Later, he specifically mentioned Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Practical effect: No entitlement reforms in the next four years. House Republicans can pass budgets with long-term Medicare fixes, but they aren't going anywhere.
That's quite a difference from 16 years ago, when Bill Clinton pursued serious entitlement reform with Newt Gingrich.
"I see the current American left as rapidly losing what it once knew about the need for entitlement reform," economist Tyler Cowen writes on his Marginal Revolution blog.
"I see it happening right under my nose, day by day, article by article, blogpost by blogpost." And in Obama's second inaugural.
"We will respond to the threat of climate change," said Obama, citing anecdotal evidence of unusual weather. Put this in the category of soothing a constituency that's not going to get what it wants.
Democrats were unable to get a cap-and-trade bill through the Senate when they had a 60-vote supermajority. They won't get one through either house in the next two years.
"We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries." Another shoutout to green Democrats.
Obama regulators may stymie the booming hydraulic fracking industry, but Congress isn't going to fund half-trillion dollar "green jobs" boondoggles like Solyndra.
"Security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war." No, they don't, and it looks like American troops will leave Afghanistan, as they did Iraq, under terms that give the bad guys leverage they didn't gain in conflict.
But otherwise we will lead from behind, as we did in Libya and may be doing in Mali, with unfortunate collateral damage like the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi and American hostages in Algeria.
"The love we commit to one another must be equal, as well." This was preceded by a graceful reference to Seneca Falls, Selma and Stonewall, in which Americans protested government deprivations of different rights.
But the next day the Obama White House admitted that same-sex marriage is an issue for the states, where it's been making progress. It's not clear the federal government can do much to help.
The courts may overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (signed by Bill Clinton), which allows the federal and state governments not to recognize some states' same-sex marriages. But Congress is unlikely to give same-sex marriages equal status in tax or other laws.
"A better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants." Here, Obama did suggest one measure that could get bipartisan support, calling for "bright young students and engineers (to be) enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country."
There's a powerful argument that we should tilt our system, as Canada and Australia tilt theirs, toward high-skill immigrants.
"We cannot," Obama said, "treat name-calling as reasoned debate." Yet Obama does this constantly.
Perhaps he just feels that, since Republicans are slime who want old people and children to starve, saying so is just stating an obvious fact. It may not occur to him that not everyone feels that way.
"An economic recovery has begun." That was all Obama had to say about the macroeconomy. Ways to increase sluggish economic growth? Nada.
Obama did increase the size and scope of government in his first term, through stepped-up spending and ObamaCare.
Now, beginning his second term, he is freer to enunciate liberal principles, but seems content with stasis going forward. No entitlement reform, soothing words for greens and gays, disdain for Republicans, leading from behind abroad, maybe immigration reform.
Lots of audacity, not much hope.
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[br>Impression: "This is borderline abnormal awake and asleep video EEG due to the presence of mild intermittent focal slowing in the left temporal region."[br>[br>[br>[br>Clinical Correlation: Above finding is inconclusive but the possibility of focal cerebral dysfunction in the left temporal region cannot be excluded. Therefore, further clinical and radiographic correlation is suggested. [br>[br>[br>[br>*The abnormality is listed as "slowing" and the amplitude is listed as: 30-110 mcv[br>[br>
[br>What should I make of this?[br>[br>I already had an MRI of the brain done on December 27, 2014, and nothing has changed for me since then.[br>[br>[br>[br>[br>What could be the cause of this borderline abnormality? Since I already had an MRI of the brain, what other tests can possibly be done to see what this abnormality may be about?[br>[br>[br>I 'm going to have a follow-up with the VEEG doctor on March 4, but in the meantime, any suggestions?[br>[br>[br>What's the worst they can find and what is the least invasive way to treat it?[br>[br>[br>I am a 30 year old Hispanic male born and raised in New York City. Any help would be appreciated.View Thread
I am going to go very personal here (i do not like to do this much but feel its needed). I have a brain injury from when i was an infant the right half of my brain is mostly scar tissue from the mri's. I have had ADHD diagnosis when i was young and was on ritilan and other ADHD meds for a short while. I have also battled depression since i was 13 and in middle school (I am now a 24 year old college student) I have been on many anti-dpressants and non seemed to help.
anybody know if my medicine is causing my severe headaches or if its the epilepsy or a combination?
View Thread
Anyone?View Thread
I have four children and they are always scared for me.Thank you in advance for any input.
View Thread
View Thread
Just kinda gunna talk. So I started "getting back to life" by starting classes again. I tried to take all online classes since being out and about triggers seizures for me. But with anatomy and physiology thats impossible to just do online. Also taking online lifetime psychology.. I had been seizure free for a month. Butttt of course the first day of class I had a seizure >.< -___-
My seizures are kinda "changing". Like I still have the aphasia (which I had to put on my epilepsy bracelet because people literally stopped me thinking I was drunk). But its even more extreme now where I rarely have the shaking eyes anymore, but lately I act VERYYYYYY under the influence. For example the other day at the grocery store, about 10 minutes before I felt an "aura". Then I started stumbling, slurring my speech slightly, then it became terribly strong, slurring my speech extremely, stumbling around almost falling on the floor, giggling, talking nonsense...
I havent called my neuro yet. When I was a week seizure free I left a message for her because she had wanted an update. Her receptionist rudely said "Kay well she can decide if she'll call you back" and hung up on me...I guess i just sort of expected some breakthrough seizures and i dont know...View Thread
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Poll Results
Simple Partial0% (0)
Complex Partial0% (0)
Grand Mal/ Tonic-Clonic83% (5)
Absence0% (0)
Other17% (1)
just enough to keep him from driving, He lost his job and insurance ,
he has insurance now, but none of his DRs will take it, He is looking for new DRs and its very hard to find any. he had another seizure this morning and he is very angry, He feels he will never drive again or have a wife .he wants me to be quiet about the seizure as he forgot one pill and said that's why,He is taking levetiracetam. I'm 62 and not coping well with any of this. every time he has a seizure I'm afraid he is going to die -I;m afraid I wont be there when he has one. How do people cope ?View Thread
Daily he eats a meal and he said his stomach feels heavy then his eyes get glossy, his speech gets slurred and confusing, his eyes roll back in head or cross eyed, he becomes child like at times, his body starts to shut down including his legs so he will fall to ground and eventually pass out completely for 10-15 minutes. When he is having an episode his blood pressure jumps up and his heart rate goes down.
If anyone has any idea what this might be or who we should see next I would appreciate the help.View Thread
When I reach a sexual climax from my husband's gentle touch to my clitoris, I sometimes go into a seizure and my eyes roll back and shake, and I go very stiff all over, I cannot move. It usually takes a few minutes before I can relax and move my body. And I think they are getting longer, which is scarying me. My husband thinks this is no big deal and that I've been doing this for 17 years now. I'm 55 and I think I need to see if this is causing my brain to mess up my memory and my lack of smelling.
Someone please tell me what I should do. What type of doctor deals with this? I'm not on any medicine.View Thread
Lately I feel like I'm on a roller coaster ride!!!
I set a timer on my phone and reset it every time I have a seizure. In the past two weeks I have gone about 40-48 hours seizure free, which was great because I hadn't gone a day without multiple seizures a day for so long.
But then other day's I'll have frequent, strong seizures. Afterwards it leaves me feeling drained and depressed and frustrated.
I'm on 400mg of Lamo a day now. My neuro wanted me to wait two weeks before upping my dose again, so I'm calling her Tuesday. But she's ready to give up on me at 450mg if it doesn't stop. Which is really frustrating since she said (without revealing personal info) that some of her patients are over 1,000mg a day. If this doesn't work she wants me to go completely off the lamo (gradually) and put me on a migraine medicine to see if that helps. Then if that doesn't work, Topamax.
I am so frustrated because when they did my EEG at the hospital for 5 days, that was when I only had about one seizure a week, and the EEG came back clear. And I've seen multiple cases of seizures not being caught on the EEG's but I'm not sure. The epidemiologist said that the brain cyst was deep enough in my brain and that my seizures could be too small to be picked up by the EEG. My neuro plans to give me another ambulatory EEG if the episodes continue.
Also (rant two), new symptoms have shown up along with the others. So in total:
- aphasia (type one and type two)
- eye's shaking rapidly
- vertigo
- nausea
- taste confusion (ketchup tastes like bubblegum)
- smell confusion (baby powder smells like peanut butter)
- head twitching harshly to the side
- blinking harshly
- knees suddenly buckle
- "out of body" like experience
- muscle weakness in general
- memory loss
- blank stare
- pursing the lips harshly
- hallucinations (auditory and visual)
- numbness on one side of the body
There's more but I can't remember right now.
P.S~ brain cyst grew 2mm in 6 months. Getting another one done in 6 months to see if this is the constant rate. I have a glioependymal brain cyst. Rare benign cyst of CSF-like fluid that makes up less that 1% of all intracranial brain cysts. Just my luck eh?View Thread
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Poll Results
Topamax23% (3)
Lamotrigine0% (0)
Keppra23% (3)
Depakote15% (2)
Multiple38% (5)
I have one daughter from my mariage years ago and she was born with what has been determined to be Angelman Syndrome. I am not certain that my seizure medicine had anything to do with her condition, but I would not like to risk making a similar result if we go ahead with our plans of having a child.View Thread
So where to begin, my boyfriend had his first seizure nearly two years ago now, a tonic clonic in his sleep and this was the first and only time he has do far been incontinent. He suffered another the next morning again in his sleep and from there he was diagnosed with epilepsy put on keppra and the tests started. He showed now typical 'epileptic' signs on his EEG so they put it down to stress in his job. However they did find something not right with his brain in his MRI but dusky really pursue or indicate it was a problem. He went a year seizure free before having a tonic clonic whilst awake in the gym, he had another in the ambulance and another the next morning. His meds were upped again... He had another seizure - this time at work... Meds up again to the limit for keppra. Then he had a seizure while I was driving, it came from nowhere, one minute we were singing along and then bang tonic clonic. Usually he gets an aura but not this time... Since then it's been every few weeks until these last three weeks where he's had one every other day. Also has now had some partial seizures or absence? He gets the aura daily but it doesn't happen every time. We've been back to the neurologist who put him on a stabilising drug and wants to run more teats on what he has found to be a Chari malformation type one that was the 'something not right'
My question is are chari malformations common in epilepsy which seems to have no trigger whatsoever or not? Also the switch from night to day to partials, is this common?
Thankyou for reading I'm looking forward up hearing from somebody View Thread
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text: Bambino's has been on my list of restaurants I wanted to visit for a long time so I was excited when 6 of us decided to go. After our experience, I can definitely cross this off my list! I cannot see any reason to go again. From the start, our waiter was largely inattentive. We felt as if we... read more


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Reflectivity and polarization dependence of polysilicon single-film broadband photonic crystal micro-mirrors |
Optics Express, Vol. 20, Issue 6, pp. 6306-6315 (2012)
Enhanced HTML Acrobat PDF (1757 KB)
We report on the fabrication of 2-D photonic crystal (PC) micro-mirrors, and Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations and measurements of their reflectance spectra and polarization dependence at normal incidence. The PC mirrors were fabricated in free-standing thin polysilicon membranes supported by silicon nitride films for stress compensation. Greater than 90% reflectivity is measured over a wavelength range of 35 nm from 1565 nm to 1600 nm with small polarization dependence. Our FDTD simulations show that fabrication errors on the order of tens of nanometers can strongly affect the reflection spectra. When the fabrication errors are kept below this level, FDTD simulations on perfectly periodic structures accurately predict the reflection spectra of the fabricated PC mirrors, despite their sensitivity to the fabrication errors.
OCIS Codes
(310.6860) Thin films : Thin films, optical properties
(230.5298) Optical devices : Photonic crystals
(050.6624) Diffraction and gratings : Subwavelength structures
(310.6628) Thin films : Subwavelength structures, nanostructures
ToC Category:
Photonic Crystals
Original Manuscript: September 20, 2011
Revised Manuscript: November 21, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: November 24, 2011
Published: March 5, 2012
Sora Kim, Sanja Hadzialic, Aasmund S. Sudbo, and Olav Solgaard, "Reflectivity and polarization dependence of polysilicon single-film broadband photonic crystal micro-mirrors," Opt. Express 20, 6306-6315 (2012)
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- J. H. Ho, C. L. Lee, T. F. Lei, and T. S. Chao, "Ellipsometry measurement of the complex refractive index and thickness of polysilicon thin films," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A7(2), 196–205 (1990). [CrossRef]
- J. A. Monsoriu, E. Silvestre, A. Ferrando, P. Andres, and M. V. Andres, "Sloped-wall thin-film photonic crystal waveguides," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.17(2), 354–356, 354–356 (2005). [CrossRef]
- J. Topolancik, F. Vollmer, R. Ilic, and M. Crescimanno, "Out-of-plane scattering from vertically asymmetric photonic crystal slab waveguides with in-plane disorder," Opt. Express17(15), 12470–12480 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- K. Hennessy, A. Badolato, A. Tamboli, P. M. Petroff, E. Hu, M. Atature, J. Dreiser, and A. Imamoglu, "Tuning photonic crystal nanocavity modes by wet chemical digital etching," Appl. Phys. Lett.87(2), 021108 (2005). [CrossRef]
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The Quality Engineer executes Quality Engineering function for Devicor Medical Products, Inc. and participates in planning, execution and implementation activities for New Product Development and Sustaining Engineering projects. Responsible for compliance programs as it relates to new and existing products.
Senior Quality Engineer
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Last updated 11/19/14
Gilbert Arenas is currently signed the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, his NBA having petered out after stints with the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies. It's probably worth pointing out that China invented fireworks (along with gunpowder) all the way back in the 7th century, so perhaps Arenas was just cognizant of a different set of laws.
However, Arenas' Fourth of July celebration certainly isn't going to be what he was hoping.
Arenas was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol at about 2:30 a.m. early Thursday morning in Los Angeles for speeding, according to TMZ. But it wasn't a typical traffic stop, as officers immediately found that the entire bed of Arenas' Ford pickup truck was filled with illegal fireworks.
The LAPD bomb squad called out to deal with the potential danger, and a TMZ cameraman counted 20 boxes worth of illegal fireworks — being handled very carefully.
Arenas was arrested at the scene, according to TMZ's report, and charged with possession of illegal fireworks and driving without a license. He was also cited for speeding at about 80 miles per hour.
Of course, Arenas infamously violated NBA rules and was suspended by the league indefinitely (which turned out to be the rest of the 2009-10 season) after storing guns at Verizon Center while with the Washington Wizards. So, as he plays in the country that invented gunpowder, there's probably more than a little irony there in how the innovation has affected his life centuries later.
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text: www.taxpayersalliance.com An affordable voice for business Reforming the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Ben Farrugia Contents Executive Summary 3 1. Introduction 5 1.1 What is BERR 5 1.2 Why BERR? 6 2. Delivering the right conditions for business 7 2.1 Business creation 7 2.2 Business support 11 2.3 Regulation 13 2.4 Taxation 16 3. Productivity 17 4. Reforming BERR 20 4.1 An Office for Business 20 4.2 A Secretary of State for Business and Trade 22 4.3 The case for reforming BERR 22 Appendix A.1: Departmental outturn on 'business' objectives 23 Appendix B.1: BERR Public Bodies and Delivery Partners 24 About the author Ben Farrugia has worked at the TaxPayers' Alliance since 2007. He has written numerous studies on the structure of government and the effectiveness of public sector organisations, including a study into the quango state – The Unseen Government of the United Kingdom – and an assessment of Regional Development Agency performance – The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 2 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Executive Summary While credit and consumers become scarce in the private sector, government borrowing has reached unsustainable levels. Enormous liabilities are being accumulated which will cost ordinary taxpayers and their children a fortune in the years to come. Official public sector net debt is due to reach over £1 trillion by 2013-14. Every effort must be made to identify areas of public expenditure where spending can be scaled back, and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is a good place to start. Reforming BERR could save the taxpayer almost £1 billion a year. The department provides no essential services directly, and despite over £13.5 billion being spent on business objectives since 2000, BERR (and its predecessor the DTI) have left British business overtaxed and over-regulated, ill-prepared for the worsening recession. Indeed if Britain is to emerge successfully from this economic crisis, it is vital that government stops trying to manage businesses into succeeding and, instead, frees them from excessive regulation and taxation. As the past shows, throwing money at complex business support schemes does not deliver results: The Government has failed to create a better environment for business There was only a 0.3 per cent rise in the number of VAT registered businesses between 1997 and 2006; It 2008 it took the average UK entrepreneur 13 days to start a business, compared to 6 in the US and 7 in France; this means there has been no change since 2004; Only 4 per cent of small businesses used taxpayer funded support programmes in 2006, down from 16 per cent in 2004. The burden of regulation and taxation has increased The annual cost of regulation is now 10 to 12 per cent of GDP – £150 billion – roughly equivalent to the 2008 take from income tax; The UK corporate tax rate is 1.2 points higher than the OECD average of 26.8 per cent; In international comparisons, the UK has fallen back in many key measurements of competitiveness. The advantages enjoyed by British businesses in the 1990's have all but disappeared. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 3 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Productivity trends have not improved significantly Despite Government claims, the rate of catch up between UK productivity and those of competitors has not increased significantly; UK labour productivity as a percentage of US labour productivity rose from 46.59 per cent to 52.96 per cent between 1979 and 1997, but only 53.17 per cent to 53.24 per cent between 1998 and 2006; Government interventions in the economy over the past twenty years have not increased productivity. Instead, deregulation and increased competition appear to be the key. Despite suggestions to the contrary, much of BERR is not integral to the Government's recession planning. Industry bail outs are negotiated by the Secretary of State with a few civil servants, and then financed directly by the Treasury. Delivery of the loan guarantee schemes is "fully delegated to the participating lenders" (the banks).1 Capital investment in businesses is administered by deliberately independent quangos, from outside BERR. A vastly slimmed down department could continue to oversee the recession policies already put in place. BERR's important public bodies – such as the Competition Commission – should be re-established as non-ministerial departments, genuinely outside the interference of politicians. Agencies such as the RDAs should be scrapped immediately. Without many of its current responsibilities, BERR could be re- organised on much smaller lines, with a small civil service to support the Secretary of State for Business. Scaling back the department could save the taxpayer almost £1 billion, out of the BERR's £1.5 billion potential operating cost for 2008-09. Scrapping the RDAs – as recommended in an earlier TaxPayers' Alliance report, The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies – would add another £2 billion in savings; leaving a total saving of almost £3 billion. 1 Bussiness Link website – Grants and Support Directory www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/gsdDetail?type=GSD&page=16&category=3&itemId=108183497 8&refpage=3 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 4 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 1. Introduction These are rough times to be in business. Imperilled by the credit crunch and an attendant fall in consumer demand, many firms now face an uncertain future and action is needed. In such circumstances it may seem odd to question the need for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). Its Secretary of State (Lord Mandelson of Foy) is omnipresent in the media, and BERR's Loan Guarantee Schemes are central to the Government's response to the continuing dearth of credit. But it is not the role of the Business Secretary, or the success of the Loan Guarantee Schemes, which is in question. Like its predecessor – the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) – BERR has done little to improve conditions for businesses in the UK, and taxpayers should ask if we need such a department, particularly when public funds are so stretched. 1.1 What is BERR? BERR is notionally the 'voice for business' in government, aimed to ensure the UK is an environment in which business can thrive.2 Created in 2007 it is essentially a rebranded DTI, but unlike its much maligned predecessor BERR is not responsible for Government 'science funding' in the UK and is in charge of the 'better regulation' agenda. The Cabinet reshuffle of October 2008 saw the transfer of energy policy to a new Department for Energy and Climate Change, reducing BERR's financial commitments (by over £3.5 billion) and its size (losing at least 8 delivery bodies and their 16,000 staff).3 The remaining department – with an estimated £1.5 billion budget, 39 public bodies and over 12,000 staff either directly or indirectly under its control – is dedicated to improving the conditions for business; regulating commercial activity; and managing the shareholdings held by Government in private firms (British Energy) and public businesses (Royal Mail). 4 2 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Business Plan 2008 – 2011; p. 1 3 Calculated on data from BERR's Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08 4 Ibid 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 5 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Figure 1.1.1: Planned spending breakdown by Departmental Strategic Objectives, 2008-09, £ million5 4 74 Promote the creation and growth of business 236 Ensure the Government acts as an effective shareholder 608 Deliver free and fair markets Provide professional support, capability and infastructure Ensure better regulation 305 1.2 Why BERR? Evidence from the past decade suggests that the approach to business issues embodied by BERR – and previously the DTI – fails to deliver the environment in which enterprise can thrive. Neither BERR nor the DTI significantly improved UK productivity or competitiveness. Regulation and taxation have actually increased. Money is being spent pursing objectives BERR can not achieve (such as 'better regulation' and 'business creation'). On those objectives in which BERR appears to be doing well – safeguarding competition rules, increasing foreign direct investment, managing public assets – responsibility has either already been devolved out to Executive Agencies – funded by BERR but operationally distinct from it – or given to divisions which are effectively agencies already.6 The Department could not be scrapped entirely; there is a role for a Business Secretary, and civil servants will be needed to oversee quangos and 'recession' policy. However if the Government reconsidered how to build an environment in which business can thrive, chose to pursue less not just better regulation, and lower taxes instead of hand-outs, BERR could be dramatically scaled down. To understand how, it is important to consider the Government's record so far. 5 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Business Plan 2008 – 2011; pp. 22 – 23; Budget items 'managing energy liabilities' and 'clean, safe and competitively priced energy' have been excluded as they are no longer BERR's responsibility. 6 The Shareholder Executive remains organisationally within BERR, but functions as a separate Executive. A 2007 NAO report into the Executive expressed concern about the Executive's place in BERR, suggesting that it might be better to be more removed. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 6 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 2. Delivering the right conditions for business Establishing an environment in which businesses can prosper is the primary function of BERR. But unlike increasing productivity – an objective which (as we will discuss in Section 3) BERR cannot hope to significantly affect – 'delivering the conditions for business' is an objective in which BERR has simply failed to deliver. 2.1 Business creation Over £608 million is committed to promoting the creation and growth of business in 2009.7 Tellingly, the first indicator used by BERR to measure its success over this objective is a survey of businesses, questioned on their perception of the relevance and success of BERR. In 2008 a majority of respondents replied that they did not think BERR had the ability to make a positive contribution to business; a less then positive endorsement.8 The majority of the resources marked for this objective are earmarked for the RDAs, which are the primary delivery agent for BERR. The graph below illustrates DTI and BERR financial outturn on the particular budget item 'regional economies' since 2003-04. Figure 2.1.1: DTI / BERR spending on 'regional economies', 2003-04 to 2007-089 7 BERR Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08, p.252-256 8 BERR (December 08), 'Progress on CSR07 DSOs', Autumn Performance Report 2008, p.8 9 BERR Annual Report and Accounts 2005-06, 2006-07 & 2007-08; total resource and capital expenditure 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 7 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) The performance of RDAs has been analysed in depth by an earlier TaxPayers' Alliance report – The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies – but numerous studies have concluded that despite the considerable amounts of money spent by the RDAs, they have done little to improve English regional economies.10 Annual increases in the number of jobs, and the number of people in work, have actually slowed since 1999. Apart from London and South East, England's regions grew faster in the seven years before RDAs were introduced then in the seven years after.11 RDAs have been an expensive failure since their creation in 1999, and should be scrapped immediately. However, even with BERR's commitments to RDAs ended, the Government should still not spend valuable taxpayers' money on business creation schemes. Its record has been poor, and when considered in relation to the financial outlay (at least £3 billion since 2000), very poor value.12 From the end of 2008 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and BERR launched a new methodology for measuring the creation and closure of UK businesses; 'births' and 'deaths'. This measure captures those businesses which do not register for VAT, enabling in the future a more accurate analysis of those enterprises opening and closing over a year.13 While this measure presents a fairly positive picture of enterprise growth in the past few years – 302,000 new births in 2007, compared to 243,000 in 2002 – the data series is potentially misleading. 2007 is the first year in which data was systematically collected for this new method, and totals for previous years were done retrospectively, potentially overstating the rate in 2007 relative to earlier years.14 The conventional indicator of business creation and closure, VAT registration and deregistration, suggests there has been little progress in improving the rate of new business creation. With 181,530 businesses registering for VAT in 1997 and 182,055 businesses registering in 2006 – a 0.3 per cent increase, significantly less than population growth over that period – this suggests a decade of efforts to encourage people to start businesses has not had the desired result. Indeed the rise and fall in VAT registrations and deregistrations simply reflects the growth and decline in the economy; for example, access to credit was far more 10 See Shakespeare, T (June 2008) 'The Future for Regional Governance', Localis Research Notes; Marshall, A (December 2008), 'The Future of Regional Development Agencies', Centre for Cities 11 TaxPayers' Alliance (August 2008), 'The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies', Structure of Government Paper 3 12 BERR Annual Report and Accounts 2005-06, 2006-07 & 2007-08; total resource and capital expenditure; budget item 'Enterprise Growth and Business Investment' only. 13 ONS, (November 2008), Business demography 2007: Enterprise births, deaths and survival 14 Ibid, p.1 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 8 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) important than Government schemes.15 As numerous businesses now face possible closure, the work of BERR and the DTI look increasingly superficial. Figure 2.1.2: UK VAT registrations and deregistrations, 1994 – 200616 If unable to significantly affect the number of businesses being created, BERR has had substantially more opportunity to affect how many people are considering a career in business, and how easy it is for an entrepreneur to start a new venture in the UK. Figure 2.1.4: Business Start-ups, 2000 – 200717 15 Blanchflower, D. & Oswald, A. J. 'What makes an entrepreneur?', Journal of Labour Economics, 16(1), pp. 26-60 16 BERR (2008) Guide to Business Start-ups and Clousures; Table 1a & Table 1b 17 Bosma, N et al (2008), 'Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2007'; Babson College and the London Business School, fig.3 & fig.4 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 9 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Even on the Department's preferred measure – the Household survey of Entrepreneurship 2005 – the number of people considering going into business between 2001 and 2005 has remained static at 11.6 per cent of adults.18 Data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor suggests that the numbers of people either actively involved in starting a business or running a new business has actually dropped since 2000, albeit a trend visible in all major economies.19 As to the time it takes to start a new business, World Bank figures suggest that the UK still lags far behind its peer countries. In 2008 the average time needed in France was 7 days, in the USA only 6. A UK entrepreneur still needs at least 13 days. Figure 2.1.5: Time needed to start a new business (in days), 200820 Considering the average time needed to start a business in the UK in 2004 was also 13 days, there clearly has been little actual progress towards creating the 'enterprise culture' ministers have often spoke of. By contrast, the number of days needed in France has dropped from 41 to 7 over the past four years, a pattern found across European countries. Australia and New Zealand are the easiest places to start a business, requiring 2 days and 1 day respectively.21 18 BERR (December 08), 'Progress on CSR07 DSOs', Autumn Performance Report 2008, p.56 19 Bosma, N et al (2008), 'Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2007'; Babson College and the London Business School; TEA (Total Entrepreneurial Activity) Index 20 Doing Business 2008, The World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction, 2007 21 Doing Business 2009, The World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction - www.doingbusiness.org/ 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 10 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 2.2 Business support BERR itself admits that 'more can be done to cultivate the growth aspirations of businesses and potential entrepreneurs'.22 It concedes that small businesses struggle to find their way through the maze of provision, and that 'such confusion means the system is neither cost-effective nor efficient to deliver'. "This is not good for business [or] for the taxpayers who foot the bill."23 The Department's Small Business Service Survey 2005 found that 50 per cent of small businesses wanted government help.24 However, a Federation of Small Business (FSB) survey in 2006 revealed that only 4 per cent of small businesses had actually used government funded business support in the preceding year.25 While business may want 'help', they clearly balk at the reality of the schemes on offer from BERR. Figure 2.2.1: FSB Survey: Sources of Business Advice 2004 and 200626 Source Per cent of FSB respondents 2004 2006 Accountant 74.1 53.7 Solicitor 30.4 28.4 Family 17.3 16.9 Other business owners 28.7 17.3 Customers 21.9 15.4 Bank 33.8 8.7 Suppliers 18.4 8 Trade Association 20.2 6.3 Government funded business support 16.7 4.4 Enterprise Agency 4.3 4.4 Commercial business consultants - 2.9 Tourist board 2.6 2 RDA 4 1.1 Central Government 4 1.1 University - 1 Local Government 3.8 1 Export Partnership 1.9 0.8 Did not seek advice 11.4 12.5 22 BERR (March 2008), 'Simple Support, Better Business: Business Support in 2010', pp. 1-3 23 Ibid, p.2 24 Ibid, p.2 25 Carter, S, Mason, C & Tagg, S (2006), Lifting the Barriers to Growth, FSB report, p.61 26 Ibid, p.61 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 11 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) In 2006 the Government announced that it would simplify its business support services, consolidating over 3,000 separate schemes down to fewer than a hundred.27 Progress on the Business Support Simplification Programme is due to be reported in March 2009, but since the problem was initially identified in 2003 – if not earlier – and there has been little apparent change so far, there is scepticism that much has actually been achieved. Finally, 60 per cent of those businesses surveyed by the FSB claimed they did not know that a reduction to 100 products would make them more likely to use government funded business support.28 Despite reform, businesses and the taxpayer look unlikely to get good value for money from government-run business support. 2.3 Regulation Regulation remains one of the most serious grievances for UK business.29 Current estimates put the cost of regulation in the UK at between 10 and 12 per cent of GDP – around £150 billion a year30 – and while the European Union is responsible for a large part of this, the UK Government itself is a major part of the problem.31 Over-legislating and frequent gold-plating by Parliament and Whitehall, combined with zealous enforcement, restricts the flexibility of British businesses and reduces their competitiveness. BERR is responsible for tackling this problem, tasked with reducing the administrative burden, maintaining the UK's international standing and improving the general perception of regulation.32 On none of these measures however, is BERR making progress. The 2008 Burdens Barometer puts the total cost of business regulations passed since 1998 at over £65 billion.33 In this context, the 'reported' savings achieved through BERR's Administrative Burdens Reduction Programme are marginal; £800 million by December 2007.34 27 Budget 2006 (March), Supporting Small Business, p.56 28 FSB (September 2007) The small business view of … business support, FSB report, p.2 29 FSB (September 2008), 'Regulation volumes too high', Press Release 28th September 30 Sir David Arculus, (4 July 2005), Speech to the Financial Services Authority. Cost based on projected 2008-09 GDP 31 TaxPayers' Alliance (October 2008), 'Brussels or Whitehall: Locating the source of the UK's Regulatory Burden, Research Note 36 32 CSR 2007 PSA 2: Better Regulation; CSR 2007 (DSO 2): Ensure that all Government Departments and agencies deliver better regulation for the private, public and third sectors 33 Burdens Barometer 2008 – British Chamber of Commerce - www.britishchambers.org.uk/policy/pdf/Burdens_Barometer_2008.pdf 34 BERR Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08, p.47 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 12 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Moreover, a National Audit Office (NAO) report into BERR's Burden Reduction Programme advised against taking BERR's reported savings at face-value. Imprecision in the measurement techniques meant that the £800 million was only the roughest estimate of savings.35 Nor does business acknowledge a lightening of the burden; in early 2008 businesses reported that they felt the time taken to comply with regulation had increased over the preceeding twelve months, and almost none of the respondents considered regulation to have been reduced.36 Figure 2.3.1: Business perception of the Government's approach to regulating 2008; percentage agree or disagree37 As figure 2.3.1 above illustrates, BERR has also failed to improve the perception of regulation. 64 per cent believe that Government fails to consult well with business over regulation, and 63 per cent disagree with the idea that Government understands business. A slim majority (46 per cent against 42 per cent) thought most regulations were fair and proportionate, but overall the feeling was that Government does not handle regulation well. In international rankings, the UK's regulatory regime does continue to compare well. The World Bank's Doing Business survey 2009 puts the UK as the 6th best place in the world to do business, no change from its 2008 and 2007 position.38 35 NAO (October 2008) The Administrative Burdens Reduction Programme, 2008, p.6 36 Ibid, p.18 37 NAO (October 2008) The Administrative Burdens Reduction Programme, 2008, p.18 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 13 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) However a closer look at the variables which underpin this position reveals a year on year decline in the UK's business environment (see figure 2.3.2). On all but one of the ten measures used by the World Bank, the UK has either remained static or fallen down the rankings since 2008; 3 static to 7 declines. The only indicator in which the UK has improved is in the ease of closing a business. Figure 2.3.2: World Bank 'Doing Business' indicators, UK, 2008 and 200939 Ease of ... 2008 rank 2009 rank Change in rank Starting a business 6 8 -2 Dealing with construction permits 54 61 -7 Employing workers 22 28 -6 Registering property 19 22 -3 Getting credit 2 2 0 Protecting Investors 9 9 0 Paying Taxes 15 16 -1 Trading across borders 27 28 -1 Enforcing contracts 24 24 0 Closing a business 10 9 1 Overall Global rank 6 6 0 Much like the World Bank's, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) 2003 indicators show that while most European Countries had cut red tape since 1998, the UK has been considerably less proactive.40 In its use of 'command and control' regulation, the UK has actually increased, falling from 9th to 21st in the OECD rankings, alongside ex-communist countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic. In its 'general involvement in business operation' the UK has slipped from 6th in 1998 to 14th in 2003, being overtaken by both Germany and the Netherlands.41 According to the OECD, in 2003 the UK was the least regulated economy in the EU, with Denmark, Sweden and Finland close behind. The World Bank's survey in 2009 confirms that Denmark has now overtaken the UK.42 If the 1998 to 2003 trend continues, Sweden and Finland will soon do so as well. Competitors have closed the regulatory gap, eliminating the advantage UK businesses long enjoyed. The fact that the UK had established such a significant advantage by the early 1990s – so much so that it remains near the top of international league tables – and that this advantage has not been completely eroded, should not be considered a success. 38 Doing Business 2009, The World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - www.doingbusiness.org/ 39 Ibid; UK Statistics 40 OECD Stat (2004), Indicators of Product Market Regulation – www.oecd.org 41 Ibid 42 Doing Business 2009, The World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - www.doingbusiness.org/ 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 14 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 2.4 Taxation In the run up to the 2008 budget, numerous reports and advisory groups drew attention to the UK's declining tax competitiveness. A CBI report – UK Business tax: A compelling case for change – argued that the ever rising business tax burden was endangering the future of the UK's corporate sector43; Mervyn Davies – then the Chairman of Standard Chartered, now a BERR minister – told the Financial Times that the UK tax regime was at risk of inflicting a "hugely damaging" blow.44 Taxation is not the responsibility of BERR. However tax remains the primary concern for businesses of all sizes, and BERR has roundly failed as the 'voice of business' on this issue.45 In terms of direct corporate tax, the UK's effective average tax rate is now the eighth highest in the OECD.46 While other countries have made bold steps to cut business rates (Netherlands and Portugal to 25 per cent, Ireland to 12.5 per cent) the UK has failed to keep up. Despite a cut to 28 per cent in April 2008 (down from 30 per cent), the UK corporate tax rate remains 1.2 points higher than the OECD average of 26.8 per cent. If BERR is unwilling – and unable – to address the primary concern of businesses in the UK, it is far from an effective voice for business. What then is the logic in keeping this department, at an annual cost of over £1 billion each year? 43 CBI Tax Task Force (March 2008), 'UK Business Tax: A compelling case for change', Confederation of British Industry 44 Financial Times (March 3 2008), 'Prime minister's adviser warns on UK tax' 45 Hiscox Risk Barometer 2007 - www.bytestart.co.uk/content/news/statistics/hiscox-2007-risk- barometer.shtml 46 CBI Tax Task Force (March 2008), 'UK Business Tax: A compelling case for change', Confederation of British Industry, p.4; OECD stat. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 15 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 3. Productivity Raising labour productivity and competitiveness has been a stated objective of the Government since 1997, and the pursuit of it has been a key justification for maintaining DTI and BERR. Billions of pounds have been pumped into schemes and initiatives to improve the UK's performance, but it is difficult to establish if any of this spending has had any discernable effect. As the RDAs have shown on a smaller scale in the regions, efforts to artificially stimulate productivity and competitiveness do not appear to yield results; the real stimulus appears to come from the increased competition that comes from globalisation.47 Figure 3.1.1: GDP per worker, per cent growth 1992 = 10048 The graph above replicates the ONS's estimates of growth in output per worker since 1992. On this measure the UK has consistently increased its output per worker at a faster rate then its competitors. Between 1992 and 2007 output per worker increased by 43 per cent compared to a G7 (excluding UK) average of 28 per cent. 47 TaxPayers' Alliance (August 2008), 'The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies', Structure of Government Paper 3 48 ONS (October 2008), International comparisons of productivity, p.8 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 16 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Adjusted to take account of hours worked (length of working week, differences in holiday entitlement, etc), the UK has also improved since 1992. But the differences between the UK and its competitors remain considerable; at 15 per cent at least, which suggests that while UK workers may now get roughly the same output as a German worker over a year, they still have to work much longer hours in order to do so.49 In fact the OECD's analysis paints a rather different picture to the Government's. Jean-Philippe Cotis, the OECD's Chief Economist, observed in a 2006 speech that UK productivity growth had "not picked up over the past two decades", while other developed countries had experienced a significant productivity acceleration.50 Secondly, if current productivity growth rates were maintained, Mr Cotis noted that the UK would be catching up very slowly to the higher productivity levels found in the US and some EU economies.51 What then, we may ask, is BERR contributing to the UK's productivity? The importance of competition in corporate performance and productivity should be considered in this context (1992-2007). Stephen Nickell's study found that intensity of product market competition forces companies to innovate and perform better, which in turn raises productivity.52 Table 3.1.1: Productivity improvements following privatisation53 Privatised Utility Turnover/ Turnover/ Productivity output per person, output per person per person pre-privatisation Post privatisation gain (1992 prices) (1992 prices) British Coal 2.72 tonnes per person shift 12 tonnes per person shift 420% BT £29,460 £172,229 180% British Gas £75,510 £130,806 71% BAA £60,136 £129,176 114% As the table above shows, previously nationalised industries increased productivity significantly following privatisation. By their own efforts, and renewed competition that forced improvements at other firms, productivity in general increased. 49 ESRC (2005), The UK's Productivity Gap, ESRC Seminar Series: Mapping the policy landscape, p. 9 50 Cotis, Jean Philippe (July 2006) 'Economic Growth and Productivity', Annual Conference Government Economic Service, p.16 51 Ibid, p.16 52 Nickell, Stephen (1996), 'Competition and Corporate Performance', Journal of Political Economy (August 1996) 53 The Work Foundation (2004), Efficiency, Efficiency, Efficiency; p.18 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 17 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) UK productivity improvements are perhaps as much then – if not more – to do with the privatisation and deregulation agenda of the 1980s and early 1990s – which significantly increased market competition in the UK economy – than with more recent initiatives. Finally, while standard international comparisons show a narrowing of the productivity gap, if the comparison is made against the EU 15 and English- speaking countries, there appears to be little significant progress at all since 1997. Figure 3.1.3: Labour productivity, $/hr worked, constant prices54 As the graph above illustrates, productivity has increased in all cases, with little catch up shown by the UK. Indeed in comparison to earlier years, recent productivity improvements have been negligible. Between 1979 and 1997 UK labour productivity as a percentage of US labour productivity rose from 46.59 per cent to 52.96 per cent. Between 1998 and 2006 the rise was from 53.17 per cent to 53.24 per cent. Which means the annual catch-up between 1979 and 1997 was nearly 39 times as fast as the annual catch-up between 1998 and 2006.55 54 OECD.Stat - http://puck.sourceoecd.org 55 OECD.Stat – http://puck.sourceoecd.org 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 18 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) There remains a significant and persistent productivity gap between the UK and other developed economies. Any progress is likely to have been the result of increased market competition since 1992, rather than direct Government involvement since 1997. Indeed the evidence suggests that concerted deregulation and less government involvement in the economy is the best driver to increased productivity. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 19 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) 4. Reforming BERR Lord Jones of Birmingham – until recently the BERR minister for trade – told the House of Commons' Public Administration Committee on January 14th 2009 that the work of the civil service "could be done with half as many" personnel, and that it could, in short, be "more efficient, productive [and] deliver a lot more value for money for the taxpayer."56 This is certainly true of BERR. Some of its objectives are important (regulating competition, managing Government shareholdings) but many are managed badly (business support) or are entirely unnecessary (business creation). Political rather than business needs have dictated BERR's work, and Britain has lost many of the competitive advantages it once held. But just as positive changes were made in the past, there is scope for such change now, offering taxpayers a cost effective service and delivering to business a genuinely better environment in which to trade. 4.1 An Office for Business At present the Department controls – directly or indirectly – 39 public bodies and delivery agencies. (For a full list see Appendix B.1). Not all of these are funded by BERR; some receive grants from other departments and many generate their own income. But at a total cost to taxpayers of £2.5 billion in 2007-08 (£2.4 billion in 2006-07), BERR is still administratively responsible for a staggeringly diverse and expensive range of quangos – dealing with everything from the Government Loan Guarantee Schemes to the standards of hearing aids. Many of these bodies should be cut completely (RDAs, Union Modernisation Fund, Hearing Aid Council). Government in general now does too much, depriving civil society of responsibilities which it is more than capable of carrying out itself. Other bodies should be reconstituted as separate non-departmental government entities. For instance responsibility for BERR's market competition objectives ('delivering free and fair markets') is already carried out on its behalf by large agencies (the Competition Commission and Competition Service), funded by Government but actually operationally independent of BERR. The much publicised capital investment schemes are also already handled by a non- departmental body (Capital for Enterprise), to ensure independence and impartiality. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 20 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Similarly, some work currently done within the department could easily be moved beyond direct departmental oversight. The Shareholder Executive for instance (managing public assets and Government businesses) currently works within BERR, but could easily be reconstituted as a small executive agency. In fact a 2007 NAO report on the working of the Executive expressed concern over the possible conflicts of interests that might follow from BERR's dual role as 'shareholder' and 'regulator' of the Royal Mail, which suggests such a move would be in taxpayers' and consumers' interests.57 Perhaps most pertinently, the Loan Guarantees currently on offer from the Government (from January 2009, this will principally be the £1.3 billion Enterprise for Finance scheme) are not directly administered by BERR.58 While politically accountable for its success, and operationally responsible for getting the banks to originally sign up, the actual delivery of the scheme is carried out by the banks themselves. Figure 4.1.2: Departmental Expenditure by objective 2007-08; planned Expenditure for 2008-09; and potential cost of an Office for Business.59 Objective 2007-08 2008-09 Future £ million £ million Office Clean, safe and competitively priced energy 68 - - Promote the creation and growth of business 521 608 110 Ensure the Government acts as an effective shareholder 458 305 200 Manage energy liabilities responsibly 1,530 - - Deliver free and fair markets 201 236 240 Provide professional support, capability and infrastructure 432 74 - Ensure better regulation 2 4 - Administrative activities n/a 273 20 Total 3,212 1,500 570 According to BERR's autumn plans, £608 million will be spent on 'promoting the creation and growth of businesses in 2008-09. Much of this will be diverted towards the 'single pot' from which RDAs are funded, but assuming £200 million remains, this should be cut drastically, leaving only enough to support an internet based, centrally administered advice network for small businesses (helping them navigate the mass of regulation they face), and the work of UK Trade and Investment. 56 Telegraph (January 15 2009), Many civil servants 'deserve the sack' says Lord Jones 57 NAO (February 2007), The Shareholder Executive and Public Sector Businesses, Value for Money Report 58 BERR 'Enterprise for Finance' webpage - www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/enterprise/enterprisesmes/info- business-owners/access-to-finance/sflg/page37607.html 59 Annual Report 2007-08 and BERR Autumn Performance Report 2008; expenditures for 'Future Office' are estimated and rounded; administrative expenditures are estimates from. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 21 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) BERR's 'better regulation' programme should be scrapped completely. Quite apart from the fact that the EU is the source of most business regulations – which BERR has no control over – the burden reduction programme has not delivered. Like many such Government initiatives, it may be costing the taxpayer more than it saves. As the Government's own investigation concluded, in regulation 'less is more'. This must be the aim of future policy. As other objectives are taken from BERR ('ensuring the Government acts as an effective shareholder' or 'delivering free and fair markets') the administrative costs of the department should fall. A headcount of over 2,000 (core department) civil servants could be reduced to less than 1,000, as a new department limits its activities to overseeing the work of its executive agencies and relevant non-ministerial departments. Millions could be saved, while still allowing BERR to carry out its more useful functions. 4.2 A Secretary of State for Business and Trade Nor does reform of BERR have to entail the scrapping of the Secretary of State for Business. Lord Mandelson's success in the role has in fact weakened the case for keeping BERR, revealing that it is the Minister in charge – rather than the department – who speaks as the voice for business. An effective minister could continue to perform the advocacy role for business from a vastly pared down organisation. 4.3 The case for reforming BERR BERR at present pursues objectives and strategies which do little to improve the UK's business environment. Since the DTI's resurrection in the 1990's, the Department has come to be more the hand of Government in business than the voice of business in Government. Its schemes to improve competitiveness and the level of enterprise have failed. There has not been an uptake in entrepreneurship, the regulatory burden has grown, and corporate taxation, relative to the UK's competitors, has increased. Taxpayer funded business support programmes have had an inconsequential uptake. RDAs have not had any discernable impact on England's regions.60 The point of any Department for Business must be to represent the interests of business. Less Government, rather than more, is what business in the UK now needs. The recession will test sound companies as well as weak ones, and all 60 See TaxPayers' Alliance (August 2008), 'The Case for Abolishing Regional Development Agencies', Structure of Government Paper 3 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 22 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) would benefit from concerted Government efforts to lower tax and minimize regulation. Just as policies to free up business put Britain in a position to benefit from the end of the last recession, similar moves now would prepare Britain to make the most of the future beyond this current recession. Britain is now a less hospitable place to do business than it once was. There can be no greater indictment for a Department for Business. The need to reduce public spending in the face of mounting public debt is now paramount, and the taxpayer should no longer have to pay for a Department that does not deliver. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 23 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Appendix A.1: Total Departmental 'Business' Outturn* (Capital and Resource expenditure), 2000-2008, £000 Budget Item 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Total 2000- 2008 Knowledge Transfer and Innovation 140,099 165,962 186,046 58,591 242,606 263,661 292,097 10,660 1,359,722 Extending Competitive Markets 60,226 45,440 91,473 169,218 116,881 94,407 80,039 97,710 755,394 Enterprise Growth and Business Investment 402,321 468,286 619,902 750,171 327,824 203,377 99,311 91,328 2,962,520 Regional Economies 235,155 343,065 311,536 182,748 347,255 645,339 667,339 532,739 3,265,176 Trade and Investment 27,145 31,408 32,071 35,199 34,333 33,234 30,889 46,016 270,295 Maximising Potential in the Workplace 63,825 62,344 78,386 99,113 117,457 124,726 71,286 99,931 717,068 Corporate Activity and Insolvency Framework 196,034 236,653 312,896 261,315 196,432 279,389 243,883 226,467 1,953,069 Activities in support of all objectives 241,970 310,369 269,534 312,275 298,483 271,867 293,514 428,323 2,426,335 Total 1,366,775 1,663,527 1,901,844 1,868,630 1,681,271 1,916,000 1,778,358 1,533,174 13,709,579 * Department 'Business' outturn refers to DTI and BERR spending on 'business' objectives, so excluding the energy and science budget outlays which the DTI and BERR administered in the past. Budget item 1 (Knowledge Transfer and Innovation) may contain some science spending, but this is not separated out in the Departmental Accounts. Budget item 8 (Activities in support of all objectives) will also contain spending on energy policy and science funding (prior to 2007-08). This is not separated out in the accounts, so the total for the department is used. All figures are taken from Departmental Annual Reports, in particular DTI 2003-04, DTI 2006-07 and BERR 2007-08; figures for early years where adjusted in each set of accounts to enable year on year comparisons. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 24 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Appendix B.1: BERR Public Bodies and Delivery Partners, November 2008 Government Funding* Total Income Expenditure Staff Name £000 £000 £000 2006-07 2007-08 2006-07 2007-08 2006-07 2007-08 2006-07 2007-08 Advantage West Midlands 327 341 211,678 253,139 239,166 281,487 284,909 270,294 Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service 789 749 48,435 45,123 54,283 49,064 53,165 48,881 British Shipbuilders 0 - 0 - 0 - 9,226 - Business Council for Britain - - - - - - - - Capital for Enterprise Ltd n/a 12 n/a - n/a - n/a - Central Arbitration Committee 10 11 740 695 740 695 739 694 Citizens Advice 411 420 39,509 36,145 46,692 45,683 42,877 50,223 Citizens Advice Scotland - 2,500 - 2,900 3,900 5,500 4,300 5,000 Companies House 1,247 1,175 0 0 72,220 69,747 69,450 64,335 Competition Appeal Tribunal Competition Commission 151 179 20,107 22,500 2,907 25,298 21,617 24,207 Competition Service 17 17 3,372 4,194 3,372 4,194 3,641 3,567 Consumer Direct - - - - - - - - East Midlands Regional Development Agency 247 261 160,115 161,000 191,673 193,169 188,224 195,923 East of England RDA 223 243 136,789 115,218 149,018 136,440 149,015 162,662 Financial Reporting Council 55 58 3,415 3,467 14,786 16,182 15,599 16,986 Fuel Poverty Advisory Group 1 1 10 10 10 10 0 0 Hearing Aid Council 5 6 - 116 - 1,224 1,122 1,224 Industrial Development Advisory Board 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Insolvency Service 2,146 2,529 48,672 39,568 121,979 143,053 157,612 180,986 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 25 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours) Government Funding* Total Income Expenditure Name Staff £000 £000 £000 Insolvency Practioners Tribunal Local Better Regulation Office - 21 - 1,621 - 1,625 - 1,532 London Development Agency 385 468 415,630 416,921 528,398 427,323 546,585 417,372 Low Pay Commission 9 8 880 880 880 880 862 862 North West Development Agency 402 431 369,000 381,000 443,530 448,922 462,748 462,226 Office of Communications (Ofcom) 789 810 82,640 81,566 143,608 142,396 125,175 133,942 One North East 446 437 246,000 267,000 275,000 293,875 305,952 304,230 Persons Hearing Consumer Credit Licensing - - - - - - - - Appeals Persons Hearing Estate Agents Appeals - - - - - - - - Postcomm 61 62 0 0 8,762 9,158 8,763 9,159 Regional Industrial Development Boards (x7) - - - - - - - - Risk and Regulation Advisory Council - - - - - - - - SITPRO 8 9 903 767 1,040 914 1,044 915 South East England Development Agency 358 356 136,889 154,001 180,410 193,983 195,409 193,933 South West of England Development Agency 303 348 159,915 163,927 186,188 193,653 188,591 184,679 UK Chemical Weapons Convention National 1 1 - - - - - - Authority Advisory Committee UK Trade and Investment 25 12 94,088 87,807 94,091 90,188 95,764 90,132 Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board 1 1 - - - - - - Yorkshire Forward 428 435 286,000 300,000 330,049 365,160 339,492 364,598 Total 8,869 11,927 2,461,372 2,536,098 3,093,712 3,141,083 3,271,841 3,188,562 * Government funding does not reflect money given by BERR alone, but from the Government as a whole. These bodies are the responsibility of BERR, but some receive funding from multiple departments. - A dash indicates No Information Available. 1 Numbers written in italics are previous year figures, restated to enable comparison. 43 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9JA www.taxpayersalliance.com 26 0845 330 9554 (office hours) 07795 084 113 (media – 24 hours)


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Snapchat settles with FTC, will install new user privacy measures Snapchat promises to change the way it keeps user data private.
FTC chair: We'll wrap Google antitrust investigation soon The Federal Trade Commission is on track to finish its investigation into allegations of anticompetitive practices by the end of the year.
Facebook, Instagram deal captures FCC approval The giants of social media and photo sharing can finally start integrating as they're $747 million - not $1 billion - is OKed by the government.
Facebook, FTC reach settlement in privacy dispute Facebook and the FTC settled a three-year long investigation into the social network's misuse of its users' private information.
Google to fork over record $22.5 million in FTC Safari cookie case The Federal Trade Commission threw the book at Google after charging it misrepresented its ad tracking cookie practices in Apple's Safari.


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Sports Blackouts
December 31, 2014 (Updated)
A sports blackout is when a sports event that was scheduled to be televised is not aired in a...
Online Public Inspection File Access and Information
August 3, 2012 (Published)
Below are links to sites with information and guidance for online public inspection files.
Media Bureau Events and Workshops
August 2, 2012 (Published)
Below is a listing of the tutorials the Media Bureau has conducted on a variety of subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions by Topic
July 17, 2012 (Published)
Below is a list of topics that link to Frequently Asked Questions and responses.
Captioning of Internet Video Programming
February 20, 2015 (Updated)
Closed captioning is the visual display of the audio portion of video programming. Captioning...
License Renewal Applications for Television Broadcast Stations
March 13, 2012 (Published)
Renewal of licenses for commercial and noncommercial TV broadcast stations, Class A TV broadcast...
FCC Broadband Initiatives
October 30, 2014 (Updated)
The President and Congress gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) several jobs to...
International Long Distance Calling Made Simple Tip Sheet
July 27, 2011 (Published)
1. Check with your long distance service provider to find out how to dial internationally from...
Broadcast Information Specialists
October 28, 2014 (Reviewed)
The Commission has designated two Broadcast Information Specialists, one in the Media Bureau's...
Interference Complaints
June 24, 2011 (Published)
The Spectrum Enforcement Division, in conjunction with the Regional and Field Offices, is...


text:
I suggest you search for pictures of churches in Red Square.
We found this by searching through the picture credits.
We can't find picture b though - any ideas anyone?
Best Answer
I suggest you search for pictures of churches in Red Square.
We found this by searching through the picture credits. We can't find picture b though - any ideas anyone? |
Oops naff question and answer, apologies. I'm stuck on that one too.
. . . and how can we type in the answers online to Number 28?
2c) Wales Millennium Centre???
Question Author
Thanks, lesleydokuk - picture D is Red Square, I'm still searching for picture C
2 c: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.
Does anyone know the answer to Question 15 - which of the following cities can Ryanair most accurately be described as flying to? |
Answer to 28 - just type in Australia!!
Still looking for photographic evidence of answer to 2C (How many have got Guggenheim in Bilbao - if so - what's the link to the photographic proof you got it from) and I'm thinking London (Greenwich) for Q10 - any confirmation on that? GMT and 0 Longitude? I have the rest. Chiefpusser |
http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/secciones/el_m useo/el_edificio.php?idioma=en
Look at bottom left photo and enlarge - then look at pointed bit in Quiz, looks the same to me. |
Q15 is Rome. Airport only 15 Km from Rome. All other airports over 50 Km from cities they supposedly fly to.
Question Author
Thanks for your link Soolon. That picture confirms it I think!
Can anyone suggest how to search for picture B in question 2?. 2D is St. Basils In Red Square
-- answer removed -- |
round 1, question 2 Missing links, Spot the common thread between following numbers 300.310,318,319,320,321,330,340,350,380 Would appreciate any suggestions for link, please Thank you... |
Has anyone identified the country shown on Round 2, Question 3 of this years Sunday Times Travel Quiz? |
for everyone doing the sunday times travel quiz who are finding it difficult to answer q19 (what have jean shrimpton, neil morrissey, francis ford coppola and gerald ford got in common) the times have... |
As an avid competitor in the annual Sunday Times Travel Quiz I seem to have missed out on the questions. Where were they in the edition and more importantly where can I download the questions? Have... |
Sunday Times Travel Quiz-26th December 2004 Will swop other answers for answers to questions no:-26-c, 27-c, 30, 33, 48b |
Could anyone send me the whole Sunday Times Travel Quiz as I was on holiday and missed it! I don't want to enter the competition, just want to try my hand at answering the questions. [Email address... |
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