 |
SIRE established the SIRE-Scottish Government Joint Policy Forum in May 2008. Each Forum meeting has a jointly agreed theme, with invited attendees comprising approximately 10 academic researchers and 10 government economists with interests relevant to the meeting’s theme. There are short presentations by a mix of academic and government economists to set the scene, with plenty of opportunity for formal and informal discussion and subsequent follow up. |
All the Forums have received strongly positive feedback from government and academic participants and have, in a number of instances, resulted in follow up contacts being made. This positive feedback is well reflected in a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, which states:
“In particular, I am aware that my own economists within the Scottish Government have benefited greatly from a series of joint workshops and lectures with SIRE members.
Meetings held to date
2011
30 March 2011 – University of Edinburgh: Education
The policy forum brought together senior officials from the Scottish Government engaged in school education policy and academic economists, providing an opportunity for open discussion and academic challenge on key issues surrounding schools in Scotland. Curriculum for Excellence is now in place and the education sector faces additional challenges from a changing financial environment. We want to improve outcomes, making all our young people successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. But how are these outcomes best achieved? One response to the financial challenges facing local authorities has been a number of proposals to reform the governance of school education in Scotland. These range from governance based on local clusters of schools, through joint provision across local authorities (e.g. East Lothian and Midlothian councils) to regional Education Authorities. These reforms would clearly encompass new approaches to the governance of schools, the role of head teachers and performance management. This forum explored the experience and knowledge of the academic and government participants, looking at examples from other countries and policy areas of driving forward improvements in outcomes: What works elsewhere? Why does it work? What do you need to make it work given the distinctly Scottish approach to education? What are the impacts and consequences? Speakers included Colin MacLean (What's Distinctive about Scottish Education) and Simon Burgess (Evidence from Elsewhere)
2010
14 May 14 2010 – St Andrew’s House: Behavioural Economics
The Forum focussed on recent developments in behavioural economics and their implications for policy analysis. The Forum was led off by Nick Hanley (Stirling) presenting an insightful and thought-provoking overview of the insights from behavioural economics into problems of measuring preferences SIRE – Report (Period: 1 Oct 2009 to 30 Sept 2010) 27 and values. This was followed by a presentation from Ed Hopkins (Edinburgh) outlining recent insights from behavioural economics into inequality, statusseeking, self-control and social behaviour, which have a wide-ranging relevance for policy analysis. Given the more academic sounding nature of the Forum’s topic, it is particularly pleasing to note that it not only attracted high and broad-ranging participation from Scottish Government economists, but it also gave rise to a particularly stimulating and lively discussion covering both the positive lessons to arise from recent developments in behavioural economics, as well as concerns about its potential for misuse in policy contexts. There were 9 academic participants from Edinburgh, St Andrews, Stirling, Aberdeen and Strathclyde.
January 25th 2010 – University of Edinburgh: Environment
The Forum focussed on issues in environmental economics: carbon assessment, and ecosystem services valuation. The first session, on carbon assessment, began with Stevan Croasdale and Jonathan Dennis, of the Scottish Government, providing an overview of methods, uses and next steps. Kim Swales (Strathclyde) provided a sympathetic, but thorough and detailed evaluation and response. The second session was led off by Sandra Dandie, for the Scottish Government, providing an overview of the work that is taking place or planned on ecosystem services evaluation and its uses. Nick Hanley (Stirling) responded with an insightful overview of the potential pitfalls in evaluation, identifying what is and what is not achievable. Both sessions prompted lively discussions, which highlighted a number of important issues. Participants in the Forum included 14 Scottish Government economists, representatives from Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), the Centre for Sustainability Accounting (CenSA) Ltd., the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and Scottish National Heritage, and 10 academic participants from Strathclyde, Heriot Watt, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Dundee and Stirling.
2009
29 October 2009 – St Andrew’s House: Health
The Forum focussed on issues in health economics: incentives and obesity. The first session on incentives started with Angela Campbell, the Deputy Director, Health Analytical Services, setting out the policy agenda, followed by Martin Chalkley (Dundee) outlining the latest academic thinking. The presentations were followed by a lively discussion. The second session, on obesity, was again led off by a government economist, Marjorie Marshall, who outlined the policy agenda. Then Martin O’Connell (Institute for Fiscal Studies and a recent graduate of St Andrews) outlined some work he had recently completed (with Rachel Griffiths of the IFS) on the likely impact of a ‘fat tax’. Martin’s presentation generated considerable interest, in respect of both the possibility of introducing a ‘fat tax’ in Scotland to tackle its chronic obesity and health problems and, more generally, on the methodology used by IFS researchers to establish the incidence and hence impact of the tax. Participants included 11 government economists (drawn from Health Analytical Services, Health Improvement Strategy, Justice Analytical Services, and the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser), 10 academics from Dundee, St Andrews, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and an economist from NHS Scotland
28 May 2009 Edinburgh – Fiscal Autonomy
The inaugural Joint Policy Forum focussed on the topic of increased fiscal autonomy for Scotland. The invited participants comprised approximately 10 SIRE academics (including Julia Darby, Peter McGregor and Kim Swales, Strathclyde; Simon Clark and Stuart Sayer, Edinburgh; Ronnie MacDonald, Glasgow; and David Ulph, St Andrews) and 10 economists from the Scottish Government. David Ulph who, along with Julia Darby, was a member of the Independent Expert Group appointed to advise the Calman Commission, presented a short overview of fiscal autonomy. This was complemented by an outline of key elements of Scottish Government thinking on fiscal independence and its links to the broader economic strategy by Dominic Munro of the Scottish Government. The presentations were followed by an open, insightful and animated discussion under Chatham House rules. The format of the event, which began with a buffet lunch and concluded in a local hostelry in the early evening, provided a very valuable opportunity for extended discussion and knowledge exchange.