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- Author or Editor: Catherine Bochel x
From the 1980s there has been a steady shift from ‘government’ to ‘governance’, with an increased emphasis on the state setting a framework for many elements of social provision, but with services being delivered by the private or third sectors, or by communities and individuals. This chapter explores the use of a variety of mechanisms of governance of social policy under the Coalition government, and the early days of its Conservative successors. It assesses the relative influence of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties on coalition government policy. The chapter highlights the importance of the coalition government’s emphasis on reducing the public deficit through public expenditure cuts, and its attempts to encourage provision of services by new providers, many of which came, ultimately, from the private sector.The chapter also notes the growing divergence in approaches that have resulted from the devolution of powers to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
This chapter covers the possible implications for the governance of social policy of the Conservative Party under the leadership of David Cameron, including the coalition with the Liberal Democrats. It starts by addressing the importance of governance and mechanisms of policymaking and implementation. The general style of governance changed under the Conservatives. Labour sought to bring new approaches to policymaking and implementation, including through encouraging ‘joined-up government’ and ‘evidence-based’ policymaking. In general, this chapter suggests that the general direction of the Conservative Party, and of the Coalition government, reflects many of the ideas of the Conservative governments, including the relative merits and shortcomings of private- and public-sector provision, the importance of individual choice, and the attempts to engage charities and social enterprises in the delivery of public services.
Social Policy Review 14 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. Chapters have been purposely chosen to review a varied and interesting selection of social policy developments in Britain and internationally, and to set current policy developments in a broader context of key trends and debates.
Social Policy Review 15 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. Welfare and Welfare Reform in the USA, Europe and the UK combines issues such as globalization, Europe and pensions with examination of the current and historical contexts of social policy. Chapters have been purposely chosen to review a varied and interesting selection of topical social policy developments and to set these in a broader context of key trends and debates.
Published in association with the UK Social Policy Association.
Social Policy Review is an annual selection of commissioned articles focusing on developments and debates in social policy in the UK, Europe and internationally. The Review has become recognised as a topical, accessible, well-written and affordable publication and has a substantial readership among social policy teachers, students, researchers and policy makers.
Social Policy Review 13 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. Chapters have been purposely chosen to review a varied and interesting selection of social policy developments in Britain and internationally, and to set current policy developments in a broader context of key trends and debates.
As with many of the terms associated with ‘modern’ policy making, it is not necessarily immediately apparent what ‘inclusive’ policy making might be, nor how it should be interpreted. At its most basic, it could be said that ‘inclusion’ is about being able to participate in society, having the opportunity to be involved, and being able to undertake activities regarded as ‘normal’. From the perspective of policy making, this might be operationalised through a whole variety of different methods, such as joining in activities in the community, having a say in how the country is run at local and national levels through voting in elections, or having input through a variety of mechanisms such as attending meetings, providing feedback on existing services and facilities, joining pressure groups, campaigning, responding to consultations, becoming members of user forums or citizens’ panels, or volunteering.
As ‘inclusiveness’ relates to modern policy making, Professional policy making for the twenty-first century (Cabinet Office Strategic Policy Making Team, 1999) suggests that an inclusive approach, as initially outlined in the Modernising government White Paper (Cabinet Office, 1999), is ‘concerned with ensuring that policy makers take as full account as possible of the impact the policy will have on different groups – families, businesses, ethnic minorities, older people, the disabled, women – who are affected by the policy’, and that it might be achieved by involving relevant ‘… service delivers/implementers, academics, and voluntary organisations – in the policy process’ (Cabinet Office Strategic Policy Making Team, 1999, para 8.1). There is therefore a concern with the extent to which there are opportunities for individuals, organisations and groups to get involved in and influence the policy process.
As Social Policy Review 13 went to press, the 2001 General Election had just been called, with Labour promising improvements in public services, including increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and teachers, as a major part of its proposal for a second term. The editors’ comments in this section at that time (Sykes et al, 2001) suggested that a re-elected New Labour government might need to be kept under pressure to deliver on all of its promises in the social policy field.
It is certainly the case that there has been pressure: excepting the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York on 11 September and its aftermath, the debate over the future of public services has arguably been the dominant feature of the UK policy arena over the past year. In June 2001, as Labour romped home to a second landslide, there were fewer victory celebrations than had been the case in 1997. The government’s approach was much about getting on with the tasks in hand, and prominent among these has been the condition and the future of public services, including the NHS, education and public transport. The NHS has remained in the headlines with a number of negative high profile cases being played out in the media. These included the occasion when Tony Blair and Iain Duncan-Smith became embroiled in a bitter row over a north London hospital’s alleged neglect of a 94-year-old woman and the continued debate over waiting lists. In many instances the level of resourcing was an underlying theme of these concerns.
This introductory chapter reviews the previous year in terms of social policy. The chapter begins with a section on the developments in social policy in the United Kingdom, before it shifts to the international developments in social policy. It then discusses one new feature of the current Social Policy Review, which is the inclusion of pensions. It considers the changes to pensions arrangements, issues of welfare governance, the classification of welfare systems, and policy changes.
Social Policy Review 15 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. This volume combines issues such as globalization, Europe, and pensions with examination of the current and historical contexts of social policy. Chapters have been purposely chosen to review a varied and interesting selection of topical social policy developments and to set these in a broader context of key trends and debates.
Social Policy Review 15 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. This volume combines issues such as globalization, Europe, and pensions with examination of the current and historical contexts of social policy. Chapters have been purposely chosen to review a varied and interesting selection of topical social policy developments and to set these in a broader context of key trends and debates.
