Better regulation
Water, energy, transport and communications

One-week study programme 25 to 29 June 2012

About the study programme

The programme will cover both the theory and practice of the UK’s experience of regulatory innovation in a global, free-market economy, by:

• Providing an overview of economic regulation, with an emphasis on lessons learnt, best practice and the developing better regulation agenda. Ensuring that all participants are given a good understanding of regulation and its terminology;
• Critically examining governments’ intentions for, and reforms to, regulatory regimes aimed at delivering both enhanced competition and better regulation whilst protecting people and their environment;
• Exploring with tutors and practitioners current UK views and experience in regulating liberalised industries and services, while meeting both supra-national and national standards of governance and accountability. The programme concentrates on network industries in the energy, communications, transport, water supply and sewerage sectors
• Visiting key regulators and regulated industries and engaging with practitioners and key UK experts.

Who is it for?

The programme is aimed at policy advisers and senior decision-makers in governments changing the ways they regulate private or parastatal suppliers of utility and network services.

How participants will benefit

• Provide a broad overview of regulatory options and best practice. Examine the better regulation agenda, risk-based approaches and policy and regulatory options bearing in mind the need for sustainable development. Develop a critical and exploratory dialogue on key options;
• Broaden participants’ knowledge of the UK and European Union framework within which the regulated industries and services operate in the UK. Provide an up-to-date view of the current models of ownership and regulation in the UK and elsewhere and the variety of options available, ranging from full privatisation to retained public ownership, while delivering strong economic and environmental regulation;
• Enable participants to examine the UK experience of harnessing the private sector’s initiative, management and investment to improve the quality and efficiency of service provision. At the same time, safeguarding customers’ interests and rights, funding sustainable development and environmental improvements and promoting the government’s social and environmental objectives;
• Introduce participants to key practitioners in regulatory offices, regulated industries, government departments and consumer protection organisations

What the programme will cover

The programme will comprise two main components:

• Participants will be briefed about regulatory regimes, setting UK examples in their context of supra-national trading obligations and national public administration. Special emphasis will be placed on the changes which the UK has made in order to free competitive markets from unnecessary or inefficient regulation
• Participants will meet practitioners in government, regulatory bodies and industry. Participants will be able to discuss the rationale for, and effects of, the UK’s thirty-year voyage from state ownership to effective regulation.

Participants are invited to give brief informal presentations on their own country’s regulatory system and its current issues of particular interest or significance.

Programme Outline

We reserve the right to change the programme as necessary.

Language

The programme will be conducted in English. Participants will be expected to have a good working knowledge of the language.

Location and arrival arrangements

The study programme will be based in central London. Visits to people who have direct experience of UK regulation in government, regulatory, business and other organisations will be included. On request, PAI can assist with finding suitable hotel accommodation and can arrange travel to and from the airport.

Fees and Other Costs

The fee for the one-week study programme will be £1,855. This includes tuition, travel to and from the airport in London, travel on scheduled visits and documentation. UK Value Added Tax (VAT) will not be charged if applicants can provide written confirmation from their Government or its accredited representative that they are employed by the Government in furtherance of its sovereign activities. In all other cases, VAT (currently 20%) will be charged in addition to the fee. Payment in full must be received by PAI no later than 25 June 2012. Cheques should be made payable to Public Administration International. Alternatively, PAI is able to invoice individuals or government agencies. Payment by bank transfer is also acceptable.

Airfares, accommodation costs, daily travel (other than on visits scheduled in the programme), meals and living expenses are not included. We suggest that approximately £120 per person per day should be allowed for a modest standard of accommodation, local travel in the UK, meals and other incidental expenses. Participants requiring a higher standard of accommodation (for example a 4 star hotel) will need to allow approximately £175 per person per day.

Discount

We offer a 10% discount on the tuition fee if a funding organisation sponsors more than three participants in any one calendar year. Please ensure that when you book your fourth participant (in any one calendar year) you let us know so that we can apply the discount.

Insurance

Participants are advised to arrange travel and health insurance cover before leaving their home country.

Public Administration International (PAI)

PAI specialises in management consultancy and development services for organisations in and associated with the public sector worldwide. We provide advice and support for governments undergoing political, economic, structural and legislative change. Our extensive network of associates includes practitioners, academics and independent consultants. The promotion of good governance and best practice are our key objectives. This programme is one of a number of specialist UK-based study programmes designed to meet the needs of public services worldwide.

We also have extensive experience of designing tailor-made programmes which can be run in your own country or in the UK to meet the specific needs of groups or individuals at all levels within your organisation. Please contact us if you would like further information.

Programme Director

The Programme Director will be Martin Stanley. Martin is an experienced senior civil servant and regulator. He has recently been the Chief Executive of the UK’s Competition Commission and, prior to that, Chief Executive of the Postal Services Commission, and Director of the UK’s Regulatory Impact Unit (now the Better Regulation Executive). He is also the author of a website focusing on regulatory and competition policies: www.regulation.org.uk

Other key contributors to the programme will include:

- Dr Neil Jackson whose work in government included setting up the Office of the Director General of Water Services (OFWAT), where he also had particular responsibility for policy on consumer affairs and for administration. He has been an independent consultant in public administration since 1997 and is a PAI Associate Consultant

- Peter Vass, formerly Director, Centre for the study of Regulated Industries (CRI), University of Bath School of Management from 1990 to 2010. The history of CRI and its publications can be found at www.bath.ac.uk/cri Peter Vass has researched and published widely on regulation in the UK and internationally and has participated in many seminars, conferences and workshops

- Dr Martin Griffiths, previously Head of Water Policy for Environment Agency and Deputy Director Regulation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and now an independent consultant.

How to apply

Please follow the link to complete an online application form, alternatively you can download the brochure for this study programme and complete the attached application form. Please post or fax it to:

Clare Walters
Programme Manager
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T +44 (0)20 7580 3590
F +44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk

Applications should be made as soon as possible as the number of available places is limited.

How to contact us

For further information about this programme or our consultancy and development services, please contact:

Claire Cameron
Director
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T + 44 (0)20 7580 3590
F + 44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk
www.public-admin.co.uk

Public Administration
International Ltd
10 Bayley Street London WC1B 3HB
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