General Motors created a special-order project in 2000 that knocked the average time for special customer orders from 70 to 80 days in 1999 to 27 days last year.

FORBES: Just in Time Meets Just Right

Most of the tabloid headlines have been caught by Mr Straw's plans for night-time curfews for children under ten, and for orders making parents of delinquent children attend special parenting classes.

ECONOMIST: Straws in the wind

Lady Manningham-Buller said the legal system had coped for many years with complex terrorist cases without recourse to "special arrangements" such as control orders, which she described as "terrorist ASBOs".

BBC: Queen's speech debate: Home affairs

The policy allows troops with 12-month orders in Iraq to have 15 days of home leave, with special preference for those with pregnant wives and newborn children.

ECONOMIST: Part-time soldiers have to go to Iraq, too