Thinking about need: Public spending on the regions

Ross Mackay and Jonathan Williams

Regional Studies, 2005, vol. 39, issue 6, 815-828

Abstract: MacKay R. R. and Williams J. (2005) Thinking about need: public spending on the regions, Regional Studies 39 , 815-828. The UK Treasury accepts that need is the correct guide to spending on public services in different parts of the UK. But the formula used to decide changes in devolved spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland depends on the population: it does not compensate for differences in need. With devolved spending determined by need, there would be consistency across 11 of the 12 UK regions. London would be the sole exception. The heavy cost of the capital's public services is part of the argument for a more even distribution of income, wealth and employment.

Keywords: Automatic stabilizers; Need; National solidarity; Devolved spending; London paradox; Stabilisateurs automatiques; Besoin; Solidarite; Depense regionalisee; Paradoxe de Londres; Automatische Stabilisatoren; Bedurftigkeit; uberregionale Solidaritat; dezentralisierte Ausgaben; das Paradox London; Estabilizadores automaticos; Necesidad; Solidaridad nacional; Gastos descentralizados; Paradoja londinense; JEL classifications: R1; R5; H2; H7 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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DOI: 10.1080/00343400500213812

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