@techreport{af4caa245aec46c2ad458d5f44fafa92,
title = "The Economics of Devolution/Decentralisation in the UK: Some Questions and Answers",
abstract = "In this paper we provide a non-technical account of recent research relevant to the economics of devolution/ decentralisation in the UK. We proceed by exploring a series of questions and answers intended to highlight the implications of this recent research for the conduct of regional and national policy. We organise the questions and answers into four main sections dealing with: the nature of devolution/decentralisation in the UK; government expenditure; taxation and economic development issues. While our focus is on the UK, the Scottish case figures rather prominently for two reasons. First, and very pragmatically, Scotland has been the initial focus of much of our own research. Second, and more compelling, Scotland effectively serves as a natural “laboratory” for the study of devolution in the UK, given the asymmetrical distribution of powers in favour of the Scottish Parliament, and the continuing lively debate on greater fiscal autonomy and independence there. However, where appropriate we refer to other European and North American experience",
keywords = "devolution, decentralisation, regional policy, national policy, uk, scotland, scottish devolution, fiscal autonomy, asymmetrical distribution",
author = "McGregor, {Peter G} and Swales, {J Kim}",
note = "Second draft discussion paper. Supported by ESRC grant L219252102 under the Devolution and Constitutional Change Research Programme. The authors are grateful to the co-authors of the research papers that underly some of the analysis of this paper, including the other members of the FAI{\textquoteright}s current (Linda Ferguson and Karen Turner) and past (Gary Gillespie, David Learmonth, Donald MacLellan and Ya Ping Yin) regional economic modelling team. We would also like to thank our other co-researchers on this project, namely Brian Ashcroft, Julia Darby, Christos Kotsogiannis and Nicola Viegi, for discussions of various aspects of devolution. The authors have benefited from comments on related material from participants, including Sally Hardy, David Heald, Charlie Jeffrey and Alistair McLeod, in: the ESRC{\textquoteright}s Briefing for the Scottish Executive, Edinburgh, December 2003; the Regional Studies Association Conference, London, November 2003; the ESRC{\textquoteright}s Seminar on Devolution and Policy Making, University of Ulster, February, 2002 and the CSPP conference, Glasgow, March, 2001.",
year = "2003",
month = dec,
day = "15",
language = "English",
series = "Strathclyde Discussion Papers in Economics",
publisher = "University of Strathclyde",
type = "WorkingPaper",
institution = "University of Strathclyde",
}