The Law reports.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Law reports.

Editor: 1880-81-1885, J.R. Bulwer; 1886-1889, A.P. Stone.

The Law reports.

Mode of access: Internet.

Memoirs. Explanation of sheet.

Explanation for some sheets issued in combined numbers.

Report of the Committee of Council on Education.

1890/91-1897/98 include appendices.

British royal proclamations relating to America, 1603-1783.

Reprint of the 1911 ed.

What can interdisciplinarity offer to policy problems? Understanding the public policy of obesity

In the UK academics are being urged to embrace interdisciplinarity in their research and teaching activities. In the case of public policy, there is a tension between the epistemological formations from the parent discipline of politics and garnering the benefits of interdisciplinarity. Furthermore, interdisciplinarity in public policy cannot and should not ignore cleavages in existing policy pathways. These concerns are discussed in the article by assessing the public policy of obesity in England and Wales.

Establishment of a reedbed within a created surface water fed wetland nature reserve

In the early 1990's, outline designs for two wetland nature reserves were being prepared: the Teeside International Nature Reserve (TINR) and the Cardiff Bay Barrage Environmental Compensation Measures at Redwick, Gwent. The initial design for both proposals identified reedbed as a desirable habitat for establishment. The initial design works identified the importance of reedbed evapotranspiration [ET(Reed)] within the water budget, however, literature searches identified a paucity of information on this parameter. Field experiments for the measurement of ET(Reed) from Phragmites australis are described for three sites distributed across England and Wales. Reference Crop Evapotranspiration (ETo) was calculated using techniques recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation. A technique for the calculation of a reedbed crop coefficient [Kc(Reed)[, from ET(Reed) and ETo data is discussed. Kc(Reed) values produced in the project were found to be similar to those developed previously in continental Europe. Mean monthly and crop development stage Kc(Reed) values are presented which are applicable in the UK and possibly worldwide. A conceptual hydrological model of surface water fed reedbed systems is developed, and used to calculate the hydrological sustainability of reedbed creation areas in the UK. Finally, the water budget model is verified using data from a small clay catchment located on the TINR. In addition, a methodology is developed for the hydrological design of surface water fed reedbed systems, and recommendations required for the feasibility, design and establishment stage of reedbed creation sites. Further research needs are also identified.

The effect of catchment characteristics on sewage settling velocity grading

A procedure has been developed which measures the settling velocity distribution of particles within a complete sewage sample. The development of the test method included observations of particle and liquid interaction using both synthetic media and sewage. Comparison studies with two other currently used settling velocity test procedures was undertaken. The method is suitable for use with either DWF or storm sewage. Information relating to the catchment characteristics of 35 No. wastewater treatment works was collected from the privatised water companies in England and Wales. 29 No. of these sites were used in an experimental programme to determine the settling velocity grading of 33 No. sewage samples. The collected data were analysed in an attempt to relate the settling velocity distribution to the characteristics of the contributing catchment. Statistical analysis of the catchment data and the measured settling velocity distributions was undertaken. A curve fitting exercise using an S-shaped curve which had the same physical characteristics as the settling velocity distributions was performed. None of these analyses found evidence that the settling velocity distribution of sewage had a significant relationship with the chosen catchment characteristics. The regression equations produced from the statistical analysis cannot be used to assist in the design of separation devices. However, a grading curve envelope was produced, the limits of which were clearly defined for the measured data set. There was no evidence of a relationship between settling velocity grading and the characteristics of the contributing catchment, particularly the catchment area. The present empirical approach to settling tank design cannot be improved upon at present by considering the variation in catchment parameters. This study has provided a basis for future research into the settling velocity measurement and should be of benefit to future workers within this field.

Chemical constituents associated with sewage settling velocity profiles

A methodology has been developed to measure the chemical constituents associated with the settling velocity fractions that comprise a wastewater settling velocity profile (SVP). 31 wastewater samples were collected from fifteen different catchments in England and Wales. For each catchment, settling velocity and associated chemical constituent profiles were determined. The results are mainly for Suspended Solids (SS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Phosphorus (P) and Total Kjeadahl Nitrogen (TKN), however these are supplemented by the results from 5 events for a suite of heavy metals. COD, P, Hg, Mn and Pb were found to be predominantly associated with the solid phase and TKN, Al, Cu and Fe with the liquor phase of the wastewater samples. The results in the thesis are expressed as mass of pollutant (g) per mass total SS (kg). COD and P were found to be mainly associated with the sinkers and had a particular affinity for solids with settling velocities in the range 0.9-9.03mm/sec. TKN was mainly associated with the soluble phase, however of the solids that did settle, a peak was found to be associated within the settling velocity range 0.9-9.03mm/sec. The relationships identified for COD and P were generally found to be unaffected by flow conditions and catchment characteristics. However, TKN was found to be affected by catchment type. Data on the distribution of heavy metals was limited, and no specific relationships with solids were identified. 16 mean pollutant profiles are presented in the thesis. Presentation of the data in this form will enable the results to be of use in the design of sedimentation devices to predict removal efficiencies for solids and associated pollutants. The findings of the research may also be applied to modelling tools to provide further characteristics on the solids that are modelled than is currently used. This would enhance the overall performance of tools used in integrated catchment modelling.

English commonhold:a failed experiment?

Commonhold is a new modified form of freehold tenure and represents the meritworthy objective of better spreading around the freehold ownership of land and the bringing to an end the notion of leasehold tenure in relation to phsyically interdependent buildings. This article considers the nature of English Commonhold as a new modified species of freehold tenure for physically interdependent buildings and seeks to investigate the reason(s) as to its non-use in England and Wales. The paper surveys current literature so as to highlight various contemporary academic and professional criticisms of the current Commonhold Scheme as laid out in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 and it also includes the results of an emprical survey commissioned by the author which details the perception of Commonhold from the perspective of conveyancing solciitors and their clients. Certain conclusions are drawn which attempt to explain the lack of enthusiasm for Commonhold amongst the property industry and a number of reccommendations are made as to how the use of Commonhold in England and Wales can be increased.

A randomized controlled trial of an early-intervention, computer-based literacy program to boost phonological skills in 4- to 6-year-old children

Background: Many school-based interventions are being delivered in the absence of evidence of effectiveness (Snowling & Hulme, 2011, Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 81, 1).Aim: This study sought to address this oversight by evaluating the effectiveness of the commonly used the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention, with 4- to 6-year-old pupils in Northern Ireland.Sample: A total of 126 primary school pupils in year 1 and year 2 were screened on the Phonological Assessment Battery 2nd Edition (PhAB-2). Children were recruited from the equivalent year groups to Reception and Year 1 in England and Wales, and Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten in North America.
Methods: A total of 98 below-average pupils were randomized (T0) to either an 8-week block (inline image = 647.51 min, SD = 158.21) of daily access to Lexia Reading Core5 (n = 49) or a waiting-list control group (n = 49). Assessment of phonological skills was completed at post-intervention (T1) and at 2-month follow-up (T2) for the intervention group only.
Results: Analysis of covariance which controlled for baseline scores found that the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention group made significantly greater gains in blending, F(1, 95) = 6.50, p = .012, partial η2 = .064 (small effect size) and non-word reading, F(1, 95) = 7.20, p = .009, partial η2 = .070 (small effect size). Analysis of the 2-month follow-up of the intervention group found that all group treatment gains were maintained. However, improvements were not uniform among the intervention group with 35% failing to make progress despite access to support. Post-hoc analysis revealed that higher T0 phonological working memory scores predicted improvements made in phonological skills.
Conclusions: An early-intervention, computer-based literacy program can be effective in boosting the phonological skills of 4- to 6-year-olds, particularly if these literacy difficulties are not linked to phonological working memory deficits.

Counting Crime: an explanation of falling crime rates

The current crime decrease is defying traditional criminological theories such as those espoused by Bonger (1916) who researched the relationship between crime and economic conditions and stated that when unemployment rises so does crime. In both the USA and the UK crime has dropped dramatically while unemployment has risen. Both the USA and the UK have been in a deep recession since 2008 but the crime rate has decreased dramatically in both countries. Over the past 20 years it has halved in England and Wales. So how do we explain this phenomenon? Crime is down across the West but more so in Britain (see Figure 1). In England and Wales crime has decreased by 8% in a single year (2013). Vandalism is down by 14% and burglaries and vehicle crime by 11%. The murder rate in the UK is at its lowest since 1978; in 2013, 540 people were killed. Some less serious offences are vanishing too; antisocial behaviour has fallen from just under 4million incidents in 2007-08 to 2.4million. (The Economist 20/4/13). According to the most recent annual results from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), crime is at its lowest level since the survey began in 1981; the most recent annual figures from the survey, Latest figures from the CSEW show there were an estimated 7.3 million incidents of crime against households and resident adults (aged 16 and over) in England and Wales for the year ending March 2014. This represents a 14% decrease compared with the previous year’s survey, and is the lowest estimate since the survey began in 1981.

Trends in Crime

There appears to be a paradox in crime figures according to two reports issued recently by the Home Office in April 2015. The recent crime figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a rise in crime in the UK triggered by a rise in violent crime while the figures released by the the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) (which is based on interviews with members of the public about their experiences of crime) estimated a 7 per cent fall in overall crime to 6.9 million incidents last year. The CSEW, which questions 35,000 people in England and Wales, estimates that crime is now at its lowest level since the study began in 1981.So why have we seen this apparent discrepancy in figures? In reality the ONS figures reflect new reporting practices by the Police and it stated it could no longer approve figures recorded by the police because they were unreliable, prompting major revisions of how each force handles its figures. The renewed focus on the quality of crime recording is thought to have led to improved compliance with national recording standards, leading to proportionally more crimes reported to the police being recorded by them. Improved compliance with recording standards is thought to have particularly affected the way the police recorded crime categories of violence against the person (up 21%) and public order offences (up 14%). These rises were largely off-set by falls in the number of recorded theft offences (down 5%). In contrast to the CSEW, there was a 2% increase in police recorded crime compared with the previous year, with 3.8 million offences recorded in the year ending December 2014 (see Figure 1)

Allgemeinbildung, Staat und Politik. Zur aktuellen Diskussion um die angelsächsische "liberal education"

In der angelsächsischen analytischen Erziehungsphilosophie wurde ein Konzept allgemeiner Bildung (Liberal education) herausgearbeitet, das den Bildungsanspruch in wissenstheoretischem Rekurs argumentativ zu legitimieren und zu begründen versucht. Dabei geht sie von einem differenzierten Erfahrungs- und Wissensfeld aus, das an öffentliche Standards der Verständigung gebunden ist. Diese Theorie wird an zwei ausgewählten Beispielen geprüft: Einerseits an den US-amerikanischen Debatten um die „cultural literacy" und andererseits an den Auseinandersetzungen um die Einführung des „National Curriculum" in England und Wales. Abschließend wird der Zusammenhang einer wissenstheoretisch fundierten Theorie der Liberal education mit bestimmten politischen Optionen diskutiert. Dabei wird sich zeigen, daß hinsichtlich politischer Zuordnungen dieser Theorie keine systematische Notwendigkeit besteht, und daß das Konzept einer integrierenden Allgemeinbildung in demokratischen, sozialen Staaten unverzichtbar und gleichzeitig nicht beliebig multikulturell ausrichtbar ist. (DIPF/Orig.)