A Commission in Wales published a working paper setting out its initial thoughts on how a simple needs-based formula could be devised to replace the existing 'Barnett' formula for determining funding in the devolved administrations.
Source: Replacing Barnett with a Needs-Based Formula, Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales
Links: Paper | Commission press release | WAG press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2009-Dec
The government responded to a report by a committee of peers on the 'Barnett formula' for allocating public funds from central government to the devolved administrations. It said that the formula had 'a number of strengths', among them the merit of allowing the devolved administrations to determine their own assessment of needs and priorities in devolved areas. However, it would continue to keep the operation of the formula under review.
Source: House of Lords Select Committee on the Barnett Formula: The Government's Response, Cm 7772, HM Treasury/TSO
Links: Response | Peers report | SNP press release
Date: 2009-Dec
The report of an independent convention said that proposals to transfer powers from Westminster to the National Assembly for Wales all at once offered substantial advantages over the existing arrangements, under which powers were transferred step by step with the approval of the United Kingdom Parliament. Transferring powers all at once would offer greater efficiency, permit a more strategic approach to the drafting of the legislation, provide greater clarity, and be more consistent with the rule of law and democratic tradition.
Source: All Wales Convention Report, All Wales Convention
Links: Report | Report (Welsh) | Summary | Wales Office press release | Unlock Democracy press release | WCVA press release | Church in Wales press release | BBC report (1) | BBC report (2)
Date: 2009-Nov
A report by a committee of peers said that the 'Barnett formula' for funding the devolved administrations needed to be changed. It said that an alternative formula based on relative need was a practical possibility.
Source: The Barnett Formula, First Report (Session 2008-09), HC 139, House of Lords Barnett Formula Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Jul
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the progress of devolution. It said that devolution had delivered real benefits to people across the United Kingdom, providing the right balance between responsibility, accountability, and representation while freeing the constituent parts of the UK to provide innovative local solutions to the problems they faced.
Source: Devolution: A Decade On – Government Response, Cm 7687, Ministry of Justice, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2009-Jul
A report by an independent commission said that a new formula was needed for determining central government funding for Wales, in order to reflect the actual cost of providing public services. The existing 'Barnett' formula, dating from the late 1970s, was 'arbitrary' and in 'urgent need of reform'. It called for a needs-based system that took into account factors such as the age of the population and levels of poverty.
Source: Funding Devolved Government in Wales: Barnett & beyond, Independent Commission on Funding & Finance for Wales (Holtham.Commission@wales.gsi.gov.uk)
Links: Report | Summary | Wales Office press release | Plaid Cymru press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jul
The Wales Office published its annual report for 2008-09, showing progress against public service agreement targets.
Source: Annual Report by the Wales Office, Cm 7603, Wales Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Report (Welsh)
Date: 2009-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs examined the impact of devolution on the United Kingdom, and the development of devolution policy, since 1999. It identified several changes that were required to improve the existing infrastructure and the procedures and practices of governance. It recommended that a lead department be given responsibility for devolution strategy, and that more should be done in order to achieve a robust framework for inter-governmental relations. It highlighted increasing concern about the efficacy and application of the Barnett Formula as the means for allocating public funds.
Source: Devolution: A Decade On, Fifth Report (Session 2008-09), HC 529, House of Commons Justice Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2009-May
An article examined the effect of devolution on 'policy communities'. Devolution might leave existing systems of interest articulation unchanged, leaving 'regions without regionalism'; it might confine some groups within territorial boundaries while allowing others the freedom to choose between levels of government; or it might promote a general territorialization of interest representation, and the emergence of territorial policy communities.
Source: Michael Keating, Paul Cairney and Eve Hepburn, 'Territorial policy communities and devolution in the UK', Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Volume 2 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Mar
An article said that the 'Barnett' formula – used to determine the grant paid by the United Kingdom government to each of the devolved administrations – should be reformulated, guided by the principles of fiscal equity, accountability, transparency, and flexibility. The existing fiscal arrangements made little policy sense, and might not be sustainable in a changing political and economic context.
Source: Russell Mellett, 'A principles-based approach to the Barnett formula', Political Quarterly, Volume 80 Issue 1 Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Mar
A study of public attitudes found growing concern in England about Scotland's share of public spending, and a majority continued to question Scottish MPs' right to vote on English laws: but in general there were few signs of an English 'backlash' against Scottish and Welsh devolution.
Source: John Curtice, 'Is there an English backlash? Reactions to devolution', in Alison Park, John Curtice, Katarina Thomson, Miranda Phillips and Elizabeth Clery (eds.), British Social Attitudes: The 25th Report, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary | NatCen press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2009-Jan
A new book examined how changing territorial politics were affecting social citizenship rights. Devolved politics were increasingly producing different social citizenship rights in different parts of the United Kingdom. Moreover, they were doing it in ways that few scholars or policy-makers expected or could trace.
Source: Scott Greer (ed.), Devolution and Social Citizenship in the UK, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Jan
