Although Iceland is a spectacular country it is not the first place you would expect to learn something about good lawmaking. But in the southwest of the island there is a place called Thingvellir. “Vellir” is the Icelandic word for plains, and “thing” is the word for Parliament.
It was here that Icelanders first began to gather as a national assembly in the 10th century. Once a year they met at Thingvellir. A wise man, the Lawspeaker, recited all the laws and then decided any legal disputes. New laws could be suggested by anyone, but with one proviso: the Lawspeaker had to be able to memorise them, because they were not written down.
Lawspeakers may have been walking law books but their capacity was limited, and this kept laws comprehensible and simple. A rule that could not be remembered in a year’s time could not become a law.
Fast-forward 1,000 years and consider the case of a British lawmaker. Andrew Phillips is a 67-year-old solicitor with a life-long experience in law. Since 1998 he has served in the House of Lords as Lord Phillips of Sudbury. But a few weeks ago he announced his wish to resign. While some people might be prepared to pay for the honour of sitting in the House of Lords, to Andrew Phillips this honour had become a burden.
He explained his withdrawal from the Upper House by pointing to the vast quantity and poor quality of new legislation: 13,000 pages are added to the law books each year, too much for Parliament to scrutinise properly, according to Lord Phillips.
Of course, in one sense there is no comparison between the ancient Icelandic Lawspeakers and Lord Phillips’s ordeal as a modern British lawmaker. The needs of a fast-moving economy such as Britain’s are vastly different from those of medieval Iceland, which at the time was a small community of fishermen. Yet there is a lesson to learn.
While there is a need for new laws, the best laws are those for which there is a clear necessity and which are easy to understand and apply. While such laws will come at an economic cost, the benefits will outweigh it. Laws that do not fulfil these criteria are likely to be of little use at best and, at worst, extremely costly.
The Government has understood this problem in principle. It uses tools such as Regulatory Impact Assessments, and has set up a Better Regulation Commission (BRC) and a Better Regulation Executive. But how many Acts or other legislative instruments have disappeared from the statute books (or were never added to them in the first place) because of these various “better regulation” institutions? In fact, “better regulation” has become a regulation in itself. The Government’s guidelines on writing a Regulatory Impact Assessment fill 65 pages!
There is some hope, however. The Government has just opened a consultation on improved impact assessments, and the BRC seems keen to lower the administrative burden on business by copying international best practice. Yet, these can only be the first steps in the right direction. What is needed is a much more independent body, accountable only to Parliament, with the right of analysing all new and existing legislation for its simplification potential.
Much could be learnt from the Dutch here. They have established an agency, ACTAL, which must be consulted early in the process of legislation. This way, laws are kept simple and cost-effective. The times of Icelandic wise men are past, but it is good to remember their example. And if we cannot learn from them, maybe we can learn more from others instead.
Dr Hartwich is a Research Director with responsibility for economic competitiveness at Policy Exchange, a Westminster-based think tank.
An incredibly well organised safari including all hotels, flights, taxis and safari jeep, driver and Gombe guide and boat transfer. The trip was tailored to meet our budget and to fit in with our other holiday plans - the hotels and campsites all exceeded our expectations. Evelyn was wonderful,...
Unique Game drive in Tanzania, we will take you to the same parks but we will show you unique places
he Lemosho Route starts off on the western flank of Kilimanjaro, offering spectacular views of Mt Meru and the plains of Kenya’s Amboseli National Park. Your first day takes you through a dense rainforest, that gradually thins out with each upward step and by day two you can already see the summit of Kilimanjaro, glistening in the distance. On the third day, the route joins the Machame Route and a long, but rewarding, road lies ahead until you reach the summit. The extra day on this 8 day trek gives you the opportunity to better acclimatise, thus increasing your chances of reaching the top.
You will be met at Kilimanjaro Airport by our transfer driver, who will take you to your accommodation in Arusha for the evening, the Green mountain hotel. The rest of the day is for you to relax and prepare for your upcoming trip. You can also opt to visit the Arusha town (taxi ride required). In the late afternoon our Kilimanjaro Team will meet you at the hotel to brief you on your upcoming trek and check of your equipment. Dinner and overnight Green mountain hotel. Read more
In the morning you will be taken to Londorossi Gate, a 2 hour’s drive from your hotel. Upon completion of all the entry formalities and a final 15 km drive on a bumpy road you will reach your starting point at the edge of the rainforest. You will enjoy lunch before you set out on the trail through the rainforest. Today’s walk is quite short, about 3 hours, compared to the days ahead, thus giving you time to enjoy the lush scenery which will drastically change over the course of your trek. You might even catch a glimpse of the thumbless colobus monkeys sitting in the branches above you. Your dinner and overnight awaits you at the beautiful Big Tree Camp (2,780m). Read more
As you walk along the thin trail through the rainforest, you will notice the vegetation becoming scarcer and scarcer until you finally reach moorland filled with Lobelia and Eric plants. Ascending through rolling hills, you will reach Shira Camp 1 in about 3-4 hours. Looking over the Shira Plateau from your camp you will be able to see the unmistakable snow-capped summit of Kibo. A hearty evening meal and a last glimpse at the starry sky will bring the day to a close. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
Today you will cross Shira Ridge with its rocky ground, low grasses and shrubs. As the terrain is much flatter than the day before, your hike will seem more leisurely and you will enjoy fantastic views of the Great Rift Valley and Mount Meru. Beautiful and distinctive Giant Lobelias still dot the moor landscape. Walking on ground where lava used to flow you will reach Shira Camp 2, where you will have your evening meal and overnight stay. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
After breakfast you will start your ascent to Lava Tower through a boulder-strewn terrain. In the distance you will see Kibo encouraging you to continue uphill. Reaching Lava Tower at an altitude of 4,640m, you will rest and allow your body to get used to the higher altitude, after which you continue downwards to Barranco Camp. This method of climbing high but sleeping low allows your body to acclimatize to the differing altitudes and gives you a good idea on how your body react to changes in Altitude. Along the way the scenery changes once more and soon you are surrounded by giant Senecias and smaller Lobelia plants. After 6 – 7 hours you will reach the beautiful and green Barranco Camp, which offers great views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. After dinner you will settle in for the night. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
The famous Barranco wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last water spot as you finally reach Karanga Camp after 3 – 4 hours. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
Today you will make your way to Barafu Camp at around 4,640m, which you will reach in about 3 – 4 hour. The landscape is very dry and the ground cracks like glass under your boots. As you make your way through the afro-alpine dessert to the rocky Barafu Camp, a sense of excitement sweeps over you as your final stretch is but a few hours away. The Barafu Camp with its rocky scenery allows for a stunning view of Mawenzi Peak and the summit path ahead. After an early dinner and last minute preparation for tomorrow, you will go to bed. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
At around midnight you will be awoken with some hot tea and biscuits in order to get you ready for today’s ascents. You will ascend in a north-westerly direction through heavy scree toward Stella Point, arriving there in about 5 – 7 hours. At Stella Point you may rest if necessary before taking on another 1-2 hour stretch along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak – the highlight of your trip. A breath-taking view awaits you as you stand on the highest mountain in Africa. After taking as much pictures as your camera will allow, you will leave behind the glistening glaciers and snowy peak and make your way back down to Barafu Camp. Here you will have time to catch your breath before heading further down to Mweka Gate (3,080m), an approximate 3 hour walk. A scrumptious dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep awaits you. Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner Read more
Seven Wonders Safari was amazing. We worked with Evelyn for several months as we tweaked our vacation plans. She was generous with her time and was very responsive to our changing requests and questions. She made the entire planning and booking process very easy, smooth and stress free. The accommodations were really nice that she set up and we loved the trip tremendously. Our guide for the trip was really amazing too, which is important when you are spending so much time together. His knowledge of all the animals, birds, local culture and African history really made the trip a learning vacation. We were a little sad when we left Evelyn at the end of our trip as we had all become close friends. We look forward to working with them again and seeing them in the future. Read more
Words cannot express how impressed I am with Seven Wonders. Evelyn was the most responsive and reasonable operator I encountered. Both the Masai Mara and Serengeti were breathtaking. Our accommadations were luxury tents which were very suitable for us and our vision of what we wanted during this safari. Our guides were knowledgable and very informative. We saw the BIG 5! Our guides would communicate constantly with other guides in the park over a radio and they knew the parks very well. We cannot thank you enough for an adventure of a lifetime! We saw all different types of animals and we also were able to see the great migration as well as the calving season with thousands of zebra and wildebeests. We saw lions, cubs, african elephants, hippos, crocodiles, cheetah, leopards, rhino, flamingos, water buffalo and many more! It was an amazing experience! Read more
Amazing Safari for good price - The equipment was basic but very good price/quality ratio. The food and the service were great! Very nice staff! The staff was very helpful and willing to give us a great experience! Overall very good company for low budget basic safari!
Evelyn Ngotea - Owner will be happy to be at your disposal at any time to advise, explain or customize the trip plan especially for you.