ESRC/ippr Seminar Series
on 'Devolution in Practice'

For the first time an ESRC Research Programme linked up with the influential think-tank, ippr, to run a joint seminar series. Held between August 2001 and July 2002, the series comprised eight seminars held in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds and London. Details, including related press coverage, can be found here .

The series explored how far devolution is accelerating processes of policy divergence around the UK as the devolved institutions apply different priorities and decision-making processes in delivering public services. It looked at key policy fields such as health, education, industrial policy and rural affairs. It also looked at questions of territorial finance and the future of the Barnett formula.

The key questions were: How far is policy diverging from one part fo the UK to the next? What pressures have led to divergence? Does divergence matter for the cohesion of the UK? How are relations developing between governments in different parts of the UK and with Westminster and Whitehall? Do perceived inequities in public spending across the UK create pressure for a new fiscal settlement? And does growing policy variation create pressure for further devolution in England?

The series culminated in the launch of a book, edited by John Adams and Peter Robinson of ippr, and entitled Devolution in Practice. Public Policy Differences within the UK, which drew together work from the various seminars. The book was launched on 22 July at a half-day event at the British Academy addressed, among others, by Sean Farren MLA, Minister for Finance and Personnel in the Northern Ireland Executive, Carwyn Jones AM, Minister for Open Government, Douglas Alexander MP, Minister of State, Cabinet Office and Muir Russell, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Executive.

For further details on the book, Devolution in Practice. Public Policy Differences within the UK, click here.

Details of the Seminar Series

'Public Policy: Divergence or Convergence?'
The first seminar in the joint
ippr/ESRC Devolution Programme project
'Devolution in Practice'
29 October 2001
ippr, London

View a paper by Michael Keating delivered at this seminar :
'Devolution and Public Policy in the United Kingdom: Divergence or Convergenc?'

'Industrial & Regional Policy'
The second seminar in the joint
ippr/ESRC Devolution Programme project
'Devolution in Practice'
12 November 2001, 2pm - 4.30pm
at the offices of 'Yorkshire Forward', 2 Victoria Street, Leeds

'Unequal opportunities?
The impact of devolution
on the equality agenda'
The third seminar in the joint
ippr/ESRC Devolution Programme project
'Devolution in Practice'
3 December 2001
Queen's University Belfast

Related Press Coverage

Forget the fiction of a ‘National’ Health Service
by Kirsty Milne
Scotland on Sunday, Sunday 17 February 2002

Let's make up our minds
by John Adams
Edinburgh Evening News, Saturday 9 March 2002

Rural Affairs
The sixth seminar in the joint ippr/ESRC Devolution Programme project
'Devolution in Practice'
Tuesday 9th April 2002
University of Birmingham

Related Press Coverage

A very British confusion over Scotland
by Fordyce Maxwell
The Scotsman, Tuesday 9 Apr 2002


Devolution in Practice
The seventh seminar, and book launch,
in the joint ippr/ESRC Devolution Programme project
'Devolution in Practice'
22 July 2002
The British Academy, London

Westminster fails to adapt to Devolution
by Hamish Macdonnell
The Scotsman, Monday 22 Jul 2002

Devolution policies must grow from the roots
by Joyce Macmillan
The Scotsman, Tuesday 23 July 2002

Devolution’s testing time has yet to come
Leader Column
The Scotsman, Thursday 25th July 2002