Effectiveness of private finance initiatives (PFI): study of private financing for the provision of capital assets for schools

The study reported in this paper explores how effective Public Private Partnerships (PPP) have been as critical providers of capital assets within the state education sector in the UK. Specifically, the research investigates the impact on educational provision of the UK government's contentious £43 billion Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The inquiry focuses on 27 English Local Education Authorities (LEAs) currently or recently involved in PFI. The investigation examines the effect of PFI's on LEA decision‐making processes and discusses these authorities assessment of the UK government's current PFI strategy. An evaluation of PFI as a source of sustainable finance is reported as well as recommendations made for LEAs currently considering adoption of PFI. Through such analysis, this study seeks to de‐layer and ascertain the influence of complex external environmental influences and stakeholders that need to be taken into account in order to make PPPs work. The paper concludes by presenting the critical considerations for enhancing the working relationship between private and public sector partners. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

英语教学与研究性学习的思考

研究性学习是适应E时代社会发展而出现的一种新型的教育理念,是自20世纪80年代末以来国际教育界比较普遍推崇和实施的一种培养“关键能力”的重大教育改革。根据笔者教学实践和研究,本文拟对研究性学习发表几点浅见。     

Federal or Unitary? The Power-sharing Debate in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT

Sri Lanka’s power-sharing debate is focused on the labels ‘federal and ‘unitary’. A recent Judgment of the Supreme Court recognising the fluidity of these terms, and a creative reform proposal defining Sri Lanka as a ‘aekiya rajyaya/orumitha nadu’, present opportunities for consensus. Yet there are also powerful obstacles, including the virtual collapse of Sri Lanka’s coalition government and exclusivist nationalist ideologies. Regardless of the outcome of this round of reform, however, reformers must focus on the political if Sri Lanka is to ever reach a just and equitable solution to the ethnic conflict.     

紧急状态入宪的宪法学思考

把“戒严”改为“紧急状态”成为 2 0 0 4年修宪的焦点之一。本文从五个方面对紧急状态入宪进行宪法学思考 :紧急状态的内涵和外延比戒严更能反映社会现实的宪法要求 ;将戒严修改为紧急状态是宪法职能转变的标志之一 ;紧急状态入宪使得国家紧急权具有正当性 ;紧急状态入宪整合了我国现有法律体系中的各项具体紧急状态立法 ,为制定《紧急状态法》提供了宪法依据 ;紧急状态入宪丰富了宪法秩序的内涵。     

Parity,Power and Representative Politics: The Elusive Pursuit of Gender Equality in Europe

In recent years the concept of parity democracy has rapidly risen up the European political agenda. Using a threefold typology of sex-quotas, this article undertakes a classification of the measures taken by the 15 old E.U. member states to improve the gender balance in representative assemblies. This is then used as the basis for an exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of the parity approach as a tool to promote gender equality, including the constitutional obstacles which stand in its way. The article goes on to present a comparative study of several national systems in which attempts to achieve parity democracy have been pursued, concluding that, in order to maximise their effectiveness, parity measures must operate within a system of unbiased political structures and be properly adjusted to suit the particularities of individual national electoral regimes.     

宪政文化在近代中国的发展及其启示

根深蒂固的传统文化中心主义和"富强为体、宪政为用"的实用理性主义使近代中国的宪政建设多了几分曲折与坎坷。宪政的先声———自由主义的有效性在进入中国之初就潜伏着问题,这些问题消解了它的真正内涵,导致了一种文化上的误读。中国只有传统文化与宪政文化有机结合,才能结出幸福之果。     

宪法监督制度及其完善——《监督法》草案有关宪法监督制度缺位之思考

2002年8月底首次提交人大审议的<监督法>草案,标志着人大对"一府两院"监督的法制化和规范化,但其仍然还有许多议题未获得明确和解决;其中宪法监督制度的缺位就是一大遗憾.建立宪法监督机构本应是<监督法>的首要解决问题,如果监督法回避这个问题,就不能起到其应有的作用,究其原因主要为,如果在人大内设立一个专门委员会,就会出现一个理论上的矛盾,当权力机关自身违宪,这个委员会该怎么处理.按照现行宪法的规.定,专门委员会不能对权力机关实施监督,也不能对违宪问题作出处理.同时,如果在全国人大之外或之上设立这样的机构,显然有违现行体制,原因在于人大本身就是负责监督宪法和法律实施,怎么可能在其之上或之外再设立一个机关?笔者以为,宜在我国设立全国人民代表大会领导下的与人大常委并列的宪法监督委员会,实施宪法监督职能;在三者职权划分上,全国人民代表大会仅负责宪法的制定、修改与废除以及其他立法之外的职能,其他立法职能委托全国人大常务委员会执行;全国人大宪法监督委员会负责实施宪法监督.     

浙江省“青少年空间”试点项目现状分析

通过对浙江省＂青少年空间＂试点工作现状的分析,总结经验和分析存在的问题,对＂青少年空间＂在职业化和专业化方面作深入思考,发挥试点的作用,加快＂青少年空间＂项目在全国各地的推广工作,促进青少年社会工作的发展。     

和谐社会的宪政价值

和谐社会乃宪政国家之基础。所谓和谐社会的宪政价值,即指和谐社会的建构对于宪政国家建设的助动性和积极性。这种助动性和积极性集中体现为和谐社会的建构有助于宪政国家所必需的社会基础和社会环境的形成。因为,构建和谐社会,就是要促使社会各阶层的融合与团结,就是要推动社会与政府之间的良性互动与合作,就是要塑造公平与正义的公民文化,就是要构建规范、民主与法治的社会机制。而所有这些,都是宪政国家建设不可或缺的基本条件。     

法治政府的宪政诉求与宪政途径

法治政府建设是我国人民政治生活中的一件大事，法治政府的终极归宿在于维护民权，保障民生，顺乎民意，法治政府所体现的“民本”思想与完政理念完全契合，宪法作为根本大法对法治政府建设具有支配和指导作用，构建法治政府必须遵循宪法精神，反映完政诉求，在完政的框架之内运行。