Featured – Page 32

A halt to prosecutions in Northern Ireland – but what does this mean for miscarriages of justice?

By Hannah Quirk Filed Under: Featured Posted: January 9, 2014

Throughout Northern Ireland’s many efforts to deal with its turbulent past Dr Hannah Quirk believes that one group has been overlooked – the victims of conflict-related miscarriages of justice. For her, the Attorney General’s recent suggestion that there should be no more prosecutions for conflict-related crimes highlights the need for a bespoke solution for these […]

UK science is under threat – from English higher education policy

By Kieron Flanagan Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: January 8, 2014

The UK science base must be protected from poorly thought out and badly implemented English higher education reforms, writes Dr Kieron Flanagan. The UK science community has reacted with dismay to the news, leaked to the Guardian, that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (which makes science policy for the UK and provides funds for the UK wide […]

Zero hours firms should pay price for flexible demands

By Jill Rubery Filed Under: Featured Posted: January 6, 2014

During Manchester Policy Week 2013, Professor Jill Rubery joined IPPR North and members of the public to discuss the increasing use of zero hours contracts. In this article she explores some of the issues that arose from that event, and argues the key policy issue is how to get employers to accept more responsibility for […]

Migrants and tax credits

By Jonathan Portes Filed Under: Featured Posted: January 2, 2014

While there is there is little evidence to suggest that “benefit tourism” is a significant issue, writes Jonathan Portes, new data obtained from HMRC has shed some additional light on the matter. One useful thing that has come out of the recent spate of stories about so-called “benefit tourism” is that no-one any longer seriously […]

Is QE funding speculative bubbles – and becoming the precursor to long-term government control of money?

By Ian Crowther Filed Under: Featured Posted: December 23, 2013

The Federal US Central Bank began to taper Quantitative Easing (QE) last Wednesday, signaling the beginning of the end for cheap Government funding – and that economic recovery is underway, writes Ian Crowther. And although the UK and the Bank of England appear to be some way off making such announcements, inflationary pressure is beginning […]

The last thing Whitehall needs is a Chief Financial Officer

By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted: December 18, 2013

It has been announced that the Treasury is to create a new chief financial officer role for central government. Professor Colin Talbot argues this is simply another impressive-sounding but ill-conceived attempt to quickly fix a complex problem. The coalition’s latest wheeze is to create a new government Chief Financial Officer, similar to the position found […]

CCGs go primetime but reforms have spun a complex web of accountability

By Julia Segar Filed Under: Featured Posted: December 18, 2013

The major reforms stemming from the Health and Social Care Act 2012 have permeated Saturday night television, writes Dr Julia Segar. But while Clinical Commissioning Groups may have made it onto BBC One’s Casualty, a recent storyline misrepresented their ability to hold A&E departments to account; although given the complexity of the new system, this is perhaps […]

Axeman Beeching’s myopia is cautionary lesson for HS2 policymakers

By Cameron Roberts Filed Under: Featured Posted: December 17, 2013

National bogeyman Dr Richard Beeching is not an obvious figure to turn to for inspiration, amid the white heat of the HS2 debate. But, writes Cameron Roberts, when it comes to the claims and counter-claims over cost-benefit estimates, his legacy warns us not to focus too narrowly on the economics. Complaining, as Colin Cram did […]

‘Utterly appalling’ : why official review of UK gang policy is barely credible

By Juanjo Medina and Jon Shute Filed Under: Featured Posted: December 16, 2013

Last week the government claimed it was succeeding in stamping out gangs and gang culture, in a review of current Home Office policy. But if you scratch below the rhetoric, argue Jon Shute and Juanjo Medina, you will find these claims are based on evaluation methods barely worthy of an undergraduate thesis. Let us be […]

Wanted: a Haldane fit for the 21st century

By Dave Richards and Martin Smith Filed Under: Featured, Whitehall Watch Posted: December 16, 2013

Relationships between civil servants and ministers have become increasingly antagonistic, write Professors David Richards and Martin Smith. With incoherent reforms to the policy process and confusion over where accountability lies, there is a pressing need for reform – and for someone to lead it. The current imbroglio surrounding the Universal Credit scheme appears to […]