3.2.2 Section B: The Changing Economic World - The Changing UK Economy Flashcards
Primary sector:
Employment sector that includes farming, mining and other related activities
Secondary sector:
Employment sector that involves manufacturing
Tertiary sector:
Employment sector that includes service industries, such as health care, offices, financial services and retailing
Quaternary sector:
Employment sector that includes jobs in hi-tech industries, research, information technology and the media
Infrastructure:
The basic equipment and structures (such as roads, utilities, water supply and sewage) that are needed for a country or region to function properly
Manufacturing:
Making goods by processing raw materials
Freight:
The transport of goods in bulk by lorries, train, ship or aircraft
De-industrialisation:
The decline of a country’s traditional manufacturing industry due to exhaustion of raw materials, loss of markets and overseas competition
The decline of a country’s traditional manufacturing industry due to:
- exhaustion of raw materials
- loss of markets
- lack of investment - high labour costs and outdated industry in the UK overseas competition
- development of machines and modern tech which replace people’s jobs in modern industries
- other countries produce cheaper goods - China, Malaysia & Indonesia
How many jobs has the tin mining industry lost?
52,000
How many jobs has the farming industry lost?
142,000
How many jobs has the steel manufacturing industry lost?
315,000
How many jobs has the textile industry lost?
350,000
How did de-industrialisation impact the UK’s economy?
- Responsible for the explosion of the quaternary sector in the UK
- It has boosted world trade and enabled importing of more products to the UK, in turn contributing to the decline in UK manufacturing
Traditional industrial base:
Industries such as coal mining, engineering and manufacturing
How have the number of industrial jobs in the UK changed?
been declining for decades
Globalisation:
Globalisation ‘the growth and spread of ideas around the world’ (inc. culture, people, money, goods and information). It has been made possible by developments in transport, communications and the internet
Benefits of globalisation:
- economic growth - UK economy grows mainly due to more trade with the rest of the world
- cheaper goods and services - many items are cheaper because they are produced in places where people earn lower wages than the UK
- high value production - UK specialises in high-value manufacturing and services. Workers are better paid and UK earns more money
- migration - migrants come to the UK to fill jobs where we have a shortage of skilled workers e.g. healthcare
- foreign investment - foreign companies invest in the UK, bringing new ideas, technology and jobs
Negatives of globalisation:
- outsourcing jobs - jobs that used to be done in the UK can now be done elsewhere - this means loss of jobs or lower wages for those still working in the UK
- less manufacturing - more imports of manufactured goods, means fewer goods are produced in the UK, factories close and jobs are lost
- inequality - the gap between the low paid unskilled work and high paid skilled work is increasing, hard for low skilled workers to negotiate due to jobs being outsourced
Between 1945 - 1975 how did the UK gov policies affect the economy?
- UK gov created state-run industries e.g. the National Coal Board and the British Steel Corporation
- gov money was spent on ‘propping up’ declining UK industries
- ageing equipment outdated working practices and too many employees made them unprofitable
- the 1970s was a decade of strikes, social unrest, factory closures and power cuts
Between 1975 - 2010 how did the UK gov policies affect the economy?
- state-run industries were sold off to private shareholders to create a more competitive business environment - called privatisation
- many older industries closed down and many jobs were lost
- many new private companies brought innovation and change
- in the UK derelict industrial areas were transformed into gleaming new financial centres with offices and modern retail outlets
From 2010 onwards how have the UK gov policies affected the economy?
- since 2010 the gov’s aim has been to ‘rebalance’ the economy
- this has involved stabilising the secondary sector by promoting hi-tech industries
- there have been gov strategies to ‘level up’, by promoting opportunities to the less prosperous north of the UK, recent policies include:
- improvements to transport infrastructure e.g. Crossrail in London and the north-south ‘HS2’ railway
- more investment in manufacturing, especially high-tech engineering and electrical industries
- easier access to loan and finance, especially for small businesses
- encouraging global companies to locate within the UK, e.g. Japan’s Hitachi Rail Europe’s £82mn investment in north-east England to manufacture high—speed trains
Post-industrial economy:
A post industrial economy is one where manufacturing industry has been replaced by the service industry or tertiary jobs and the development of the quarternary sector
What sector of the UK economy is growing rapidly?
quaternary sector of the UK growing rapidly in 21st C
What % of the UK workforce works in manufacturing (secondary sector) and how does this compare to 1900?
- 10% compared to 55% in 1900
How has the UK economy changed over time?
- Primary industries have declined rapidly
- Secondary industries experienced a period of growth during the industrial revolution and has been in decline since the turn of WWII
- The service industries have grown massively in importance and is the dominant industry in the UK economy today
- A new sector of industries, the quaternary industries in which research and development takes place, has emerged and is growing rapidly
How are cities in UK given a score on their economic growth (outside London)?
- number of quaternary industries with potential for growth
- highly skilled workforce, educated to degree level or above
- new, start up businesses with potential to grow larger
- good transport connections inc. road, rail and air
What is often the focus of growth corridors?
- cities with large amounts of economic growth
Growth corridor:
an area that follows a major transport route and is seeing the biggest economic growth happen
Example of a growth corridor and what it is home to:
- major growth corridor is M4 growth corridor between Bristol and London
- home to hi tech industries
- produces as much economic output as Birmingham and Manchester combined
Why did the M4 become a growth corridor?
- good environment to live and work in, close to beautiful countryside
- industries located close to M4 and main London-Bristol railway
- land prices and rents are cheaper outside London
- near to universities for highly-educated workforce, expertise and research
- home to hi-tech industries
Examples of companies located on M4 growth corridor:
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Vodafone
What % of the UK’s GDP does the M4 growth corridor generate?
- 8% of UK GDP
- more than Birmingham and Manchester
Examples of jobs in IT:
- software designer
- software engineer
How has the development of information technology been one of the main factor’s in the UK’s move to a post-industrial economy?
- internet access enables people to work from home
- computers allow large amounts of data to be stored and accessed very quickly
- internet allows communication across world
How has development of IT affected the UK?
- many new businesses directly involved with IT, manufacturing hardware and designing software
- UK is one of world’s leading digital economies and attracts business and investment from abroad
How many people are employed in IT, software and computer services in the UK?
1.3mn
Examples of jobs in service industries and finance:
- doctor
- insurance
- fund management
- mechanic
- accountant
What does the finance sector involve?
- banking
- insurance
- securities dealing
- fund management
How have service industries and finance developed the UK’s post-industrial economy?
- grown rapidly since 1970s
- finance - UK is world’s leading centre for financial services
- City of London as UK’s financial centre
How much did the UK service sector contribute to the UK’s economic output in 2019 and how does this compare to 1948?
- 2019 - 81% of economic output
- 1948 - 46% of economic output
How much of the UK’s economic output financial services sector account for in 2019?
7%
What % of the UK’s GDP do financial services account for?
10%
How many people did the financial services sector employ in 2019?
1.1mn
What is the quaternary sector also known as and why?
- ‘knowledge economy’ as it involves providing information and the development of ideas
What % of the UK workforce works in the quaternary sector?
- approx. 15% of UK workforce works in quaternary sector
- though often hard to distinguish quaternary jobs from tertiary jobs
Examples of industries in research/quaternary sector:
- information technology
- biotechnology
- business and financial companies
- NHS
- Universities
- Ministry of Defence
- Forestry Commission
- Environment Agency
- British Antarctic Survey
- BBC
- Social market research for companies
- Pharmaceuticals company
- Engineering
- Charities (e.g. Cancer Research UK, Shelter, Oxfam)
Examples of jobs in research sector:
- scientists
- engineer
- market researcher
How has the research sector developed the UK’s post-industrial economy?
developed the importance of highly qualified people and role of universities in research and growth of the economy
How many people does the research sector employ?
- employs 250,000 highly skilled employees (2018)
How much money does the research industry contribute to the economy?
- over £6bn to economy
What % of the UK’s GDP does the research sector contribute to?
1.7% of UK’s GDP
How many people does the BAS employ?
500 highly skilled people based in Cambridge (UK), Antarctic and the Arctic
What does the BAS’s scientific research involve?
- involves use of ships, aircrafts and research stations
- its research in polar regions helps our understanding of the Earth and human impact on it natural systems
What topics is the BAS currently investigating?
- future changes in Arctic sea-ice
- impact of ocean acidification on ecosystems
- space weather research
What are the main differences between science and business parks?
- A science park is a group of scientific and technical knowledge based businesses located on a single site
- A business park is an area of land occupied by a cluster of businesses
- A science park is a planned industrial complex which contains quaternary companies while a business park can also contain manufacturing companies
- Science parks are knowledge and technical based and based on single sites, jobs usually in the quaternary sector
- Business parks occupy an area of land owned by multiple businesses
- Business parks may have jobs in the manufacturing (secondary sector) industry
Science park:
group of scientific and technical knowledge-based businesses located on a single site
How many science parks are located in the UK?
- 100+ science parks in UK - many linked to universities
Where is Cambridge science park located?
- 3km North of Cambridge city centre by J33 of A14
What transport links does Cambridge science park have?
- M11 offers quick route to London and beyond
- Stanstead airport is 30mins away down motorway - by train it is approx. 50mins away
What industries and work is found in the Cambridge Science Park?
- pharmaceuticals
- micro-electronics
How does Cambridge Science Park have access to a highly-educated workforce?
- close links with university
- allows researchers from there to work in tandem with researchers from the companies of the Science Park
What year was the Cambridge Science Park established?
1970
How many companies are located in the Cambridge Science Park?
130
How many employees are there in the Cambridge Science Park?
7250
How many acres is the Cambridge Science Park?
152
How many buildings does the Cambridge Science Park have?
58
How many foreign owned companies are located the Cambridge Science Park?
30%
Benefits of the Cambridge Science Park:
- The site has its own fitness club and gym
- It has the benefit of fibre optic broadband systems in operation
- There is an onsite nursery
- Recycling - recycling facilities are available
- Pumping out revenue of £37bn per yr
- The park has low density of buildings - the landscaping design was to create a peaceful and serene environment in accord with a location whose ideal is the pursuit of scientific research and development
- Electric pool bikes for FREE hire – allowing employees to use electric bicycles for journeys in and around the area or for quick visits into Cambridge city The Science Park is a committed member of Travel Plan+ (TP+) - promotes more sustainable travel to work
- The Park is committed to encouraging people to travel sustainably where this is possible; e.g. every new building on the Cambridge Science Park is provided with shower facilities and covered and lit cycle racks
- more than 22% of commuters cycle to work
Disadvantages of the Cambridge Science Park:
- city is overcrowded and congested - makes it difficult to drive or park
- house prices still rising making it expensive to live there
- road and rail routes need to be improved to speed up connections to other cities apart from London
How much revenue is the Cambridge Science Park producing per yr?
£37bn per yr
How will the arrival of AstraZeneca in the Cambridge Science Park affected the science park’s revenue?
arrival of AstraZeneca whose new HQ is currently being built in the city will add another £16bn onto the science park’s current revenue
What % Cambridge Science Park commuters currently car share?
11%
What % of Cambridge Science Park commuters cycle to work?
more than 22%
How many acres of the Cambridge Science Park contain park style landscaping and what does this provide?
- The 152 acre site benefits from 20 acres of park style landscaping which provides a central area of lakes, natural habitat, mature trees, shrubs and extensive grassed areas
- No building is permitted in this protected area
Business park:
an area of land occupied by a cluster of businesses
Where are business parks usually located and why?
- mainly located on edges of towns as:
- land tends to be cheaper than centre of town
- with more land available, may be possible to extend business
- access often better for workers and distribution, using by-passes and motorways, with less traffic congestion than in towns or cities
- businesses can benefit by working together
How big is Cobalt business park?
UK’s largest business park
What does Cobalt business park contain?
- several support facilities inc.:
- retail outlets and opportunities for recreation
- fitness centre, cycleways and green spaces
What main road is Cobalt business park close to?
- close to main A1 road
How long away from an International airport is Cobalt business park?
20mins away from International airport
What does Cobalt business park qualify for and why?
- north east of England suffered from economic decline as traditional industries have closed down
- businesses located in Cobalt business park therefore qualify for government assistance
In 2015 what company moved to Cobalt business park and what are they?
- the international energy company Siemens moved to the park
- it is one of number of well-known companies located in park inc. Procter and Gamble, IBM, EE and Santander
Footloose:
can locate anywhere in a particular country
What are the impacts of modern manufacturing on the physical environment?
- Aesthetics – manufacturing places can look very dull and uninteresting having a negative visual effect on the landscape
- Pollution – industrial processes can cause air and water pollution, as well as degrading the soil
- Waste – often taken to landfill and when in the ground they can pollute and harm the air, water and soil
- Transport – transporting raw materials and manufacturing products is usually by road, which increases levels of air pollution and damages the environment when roads are widened or new roads built
How can industrial development be more sustainable?
- technology can be used to reduce harmful emissions from power stations and heavy industry
- desulphurisation can remove harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide from power station chimneys
- stricter environmental targets put in place for industry on water quality, air pollution and landscape damage
- heavy fines imposed when an industrial pollution incident occurs
Quarry:
a place where rocks, sand, or minerals are extracted from the surface of the Earth
How can quarrying have harmful impacts on the environment?
- destroy natural habitats
- pollute nearby water courses
- scar the landscape
How is quarrying carried out now to reduce its impact on the environment?
- strict environmental laws on quarrying in UK
- sustainable development at heart of planning regulations and approval from mining and quarrying
- companies expected to restore or improve quarry after it has been used e.g.: landfill, agriculture, habitat creation, housing, food storage etc.
- whilst in operation, there are strict controls on blasting, removal of dust from roads and landscaping
- recycling is encouraged to reduce waste
Where is Torr Quarry?
- 1 of 8 limestone quarries on the Mendip Hills
How many people are directly employed at Torr Quarry?
over 100 people
How much money does Torr Quarry bring into the local economy?
£15mn
When did extraction at Torr Quarry begin?
1940s
What is the current output of Torr Quarry?
5mn tonnes
What is the limestone extracted from Torr Quarry used for?
limestone is used for buildings and aggregate (crushed up rock) for roads
How is Torr Quarry trying to be more environmentally sustainable?
- quarry being restored to create wildlife lakes for recreation and water supply - 80Ha have been landscaped and planted with grass and trees ———> natural habitats that were lost to extinction will now be restored, to encourage the biodiversity of the area and make the landscape more attractive to the local people
- characteristic limestone features will be created to make landscape look more natural ———> quarry will blend in with natural environment to prevent it becoming an eyesore, reducing complaints from locals - it also ensure that after quarrying ceases, it will not look as though human activity has been there
- site is part of Mendip Hills Living Landscape Partnership with Somerset Wildlife Trust - which aims to create biodiversity rich landscapes
- characteristic limestone features will be created to mimic natural limestone scenery ———> quarry will blend with natural environment to prevent it becoming an eyesore, reducing complaints from locals, it also ensures that after quarrying ceases it will not look as though human activity has been there
- strict environmental laws introduced - there is regular monitoring of noise, vibration, airborne emissions (dust) and water quality ———> monitoring allows prevention of pollution into surrounding landscape and ensures that quarrying companies are held accountable if they do not abide by strict environmental standards - also reduced chances of pollution affecting local populations
- in 2012 plane to deepen quarry was approved, extending operations to 2040- deepening quarry creates less environmental impact than extending quarry outside ———> extraction can take place without spoiling the landscape further, as they would be digging downwards, rather than outwards, this protects surrounding greenfield sites and habitats in vicinity of the existing quarry
Positives of quarrying:
- Quarrying creates jobs in areas where there are limited opportunities - over 100 people are employed at Torr Quarry
- It is an important part of the UK economy - £15mn towards the local economy each year
- Provision of construction materials approx. 5 million tonnes per annum
- Using rail as a transportation method is seen as being more environmentally sustainable for carrying bulk such as limestone and reduces emissions compared to using roads
- There is a huge demand for the products of quarrying, such as building stone and cement - linked to the demand for new homes in the UK
- Quarrying provides income to local councils through taxation
- Good communications are needed for transporting the products of quarrying - as a result many remote rural areas benefit from improved access
Negatives of quarrying:
- Quarrying is a heavy industry that creates noise and heavy traffic, which damages people’s quality of life
- Wildlife habitats are destroyed
- Valuable agricultural land is taken away
- Heavy traffic causes pollution and congestion on narrow country roads - the vibrations from heavy traffic can cause damage to buildings
- Quarries create visual pollution and tourists may be deterred by the scars on the landscape
- Landfill sites and waste tips need to be monitored to check for a build up of gases, such as methane
- Limestone is a non-renewable resource - so it can be argued that quarrying is unsustainable
Where are Nissan cars produced?
Sunderland - north east coast of England
Why does the car manufacturing industry need to be made sustainable?
- Resources
- made from range of resources inc. steel, rubber, glass, plastic, paint and fabric
- manufacturing and transporting these resources also uses E
- Disposal
- end up on scrap heap at end of life
- plastic components hard to recycle
- acid in batteries can leak to environment
- Air pollution
- burning petrol/diesel major cause of air pollution
- main pollutants: CO2 (main GHG), NO2 (cause of breathing problems) and particulates (cause of breathing problems)
- Fuel consumption
- most cars use diesel/petrol
- Manufacturing
- consumes lot of E
- E used in manufacturing = E used by car in its lifetime
How is the car manufacturing industry becoming more environmentally sustainable?
- electrical/hybrid cars on road becoming more common
- E and H2O used in manufacturing process decreasing
- dramatic fall in amount of waste going into landfill sites at end of car’s life
- decrease in CO2 emissions from new cars
What % of people still live in rural areas in UK?
19%
Why is the population of rural areas growing?
- growing as a result of counter-urbanisation
- people leave cities to live in the countryside for a better quality of life
- the population of urban areas is growing faster, but this is mainly the result of natural increase and immigration
- even sparsely populated rural areas furthest from the cities have experienced population growth - some of these areas are popular with tourists and second home owners, particularly in national parks like the Lake District
What is found around major cities in the UK?
greenbelts
What places are found within and just beyond greenbelts?
Within the greenbelt, and just beyond, are towns and villages that are desirable places to live and commute to work in the city
Where is there a high demand to live?
- There is high demand to live in both the greenbelt and national park areas
- This has pushed up house prices making homes for local people unaffordable
- People are forced to rent locally or to move away to find affordable homes elsewhere
Benefits of greenbelts:
- without greenbelt major cities may have experienced even more growth and urban sprawl
- successful in preserving rural areas
Disadvantages of greenbelts:
- limited amount of land available for building new homes
- housing shortage on the UK so there is pressure on the gov to allow more building on the greenbelt
What is the outer Hebrides?
area of population decline
Population of the Outer Hebrides:
approx. 27,000
Where do most people who live in the Outer Hebrides live + how many islands are part of the Outer Hebrides?
- island of Lewis - one of chain of 65 islands
How has the population of the Outer Hebrides changed (2018-2019)?
- it is an area of population decline
- population decreased 0.4% from 2018 to 2019
How has the Outer Hebrides’s population changer since 1901?
despite a small population increase in recent years, there has been overall decline of more than 50% since 1901 when 46,000 lived on island
What is the population decline in the Outer Hebrides due to?
- mainly due to outward migration
- with limited opportunities many younger people chosen to move away from area in search of better-paid employment elsewhere
Social impacts of population decline in the Outer Hebrides:
- the number of school children is expected to fall over the next few years and this may result in school closures
- with many younger people moving away, there will be fewer people of working age living in the Outer Hebrides
- an increasing ageing population with fewer young people to support them may lead to car issues in the future
What are the UK and Scottish gov’s providing to the Outer Hebrides to help economically support it?
- The UK and Scottish governments provide subsidies towards the costs of operating ferries and the maintenance of essential services
- it is a struggle to maintain the economy and many of these services, such as post offices, are closing
How has farming been economically impacted by the declining population in the Outer Hebrides?
- The main farming economy is breeding sheep on small farms called crofts
- Most crofts can only provide work for up to two days per week
How has the number of registered fishing boats in the Outer Hebrides changed from 1948 to 2013?
1948 - 900+ fishing boats registered in Outer Hebrides by by 2013 there were just a few boats catching prawns and lobster
How has shellfish production in the Outer Hebrides been impacted by the population decline?
- increase but foreign owned ships dominate deep seas fishing
How has the development of fish farming in the Outer Hebrides been impacted by the population decline?
- fish farming limited due to concerns about the environment
By what % has the number of visitors visiting the Outer Hebrides increased from 2007 to 2014?
increased by 27%
In 2017 how many tourists visited the Outer Hebrides and what % of the tourists were first time visitors and how much did that contribute to the economy?
- 2017 - 220,000 tourists 42% first-time visitors
- contributed £65mn to economy
How has an increase in tourism in the Outer Hebrides affected its infrastructure?
infrastructure is unable to support scale of tourism needed to provide an alternative source of income
What is South Cambridgeshire?
Area of population growth
Describe South Cambridgeshire:
- a mostly rural area surrounding city of Cambridge just outside of greenbelt area of Cambridge
What is the population of South Cambridgeshire?
approx. 150,000
How is the population of South Cambridgeshire and why?
- 150,000 is increasing due to migration on the area
- migrants have mostly come from Cambridge and other parts of UK
- however, migrants are now arriving from Eastern Europe
What is the population of South Cambridgeshire expected to reach by 2031?
182,000
How is the age of people in South Cambridgeshire changing?
proportion of people in South Cambridgeshire aged 65 or over is growing - by 2031 this will be nearly 29% of population
What sector do a large number of people work in in South Cambridgeshire (+what % of workers are in hi-tech industries?)?
- large number of highly skilled and educated people move into area
- approx. 21% of workforce employed in hi tech industries e.g. computer software and engineering manufacture
How did registration for National Insurance members from migrant workers in South Cambridgeshire change from 2012 - 2013?
increased by 45% - for registration for National Insurance members from migrant workers in South Cambridgeshire
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected car ownership and traffic?
- 80% car ownership leading to increased traffic on narrow country roads and reducing demand for public transport
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected community spirit?
- modern developments on edges of villages and gentrification of abandoned farm buildings can lead to a breakdown in community spirit
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected house prices?
- young people cannot afford high cost of houses and move away
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected the local rural economy?
- commuters continue to use services in places where they work e.g. Cambridge - has negative effect on local rural economy
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected farming industry?
- reduction in agricultural employment as farmers sell their land for housing development although this may increase jobs in construction
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected housing?
lack of affordable housing
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected fuel prices?
area has some of the highest fuel prices in country due to high demand (high car ownership)
How has population growth in South Cambridgeshire affected services?
increasing number of migrants from relatively poor parts of Europe can put pressure on services and increase overall costs
Transport:
involves the movement of people, goods and services
What have improvements to the UK’s transport networks enabled and why?
- have enabled the economy to grow and develop
- as new jobs have been created, more tourists are able to enter the country and visit different areas in the UK and more areas are connected increasing national and international trading opportunities
Why are railways important to the UK economy?
Investment in railways is vital to improve links between regions between the UK and the rest of Europe
What are the plans to stimulate economic growth in he North by improving the rail network?
- Electrification of the Trans-Pennine Express Railway between Manchester and York by 2020, reducing journey times by up to 15 minutes and completing the electrified link between Liverpool and Newcastle
- Electrification of the Midland mainline between London and Sheffield by 2023
- HS2 (High Speed 2) – a £50 billion plan for a new high speed rail line to connect London with Birmingham and then to Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester.
- It may then be extended to Newcastle and into Scotland
- The scheme is due to start in 2017 for completion in 2033
- Leeds to get £200mn to plan tram or other transit system
Positives of HS2:
- It will create thousands of jobs in the Midlands and North of England
- It is estimated that HS2 will help generate £40 billion for the UK economy
- It will increase the number of rail passengers and make transport more sustainable
- It will also reduce the number of people who fly between UK cities
- It will be a faster way to travel between cities
- It will be carbon neutral because it will reduce journeys that use other transport
Negatives of HS2:
- It is more likely to create jobs in London and people will commute there instead
- The cost of HS2 (High Speed 2) is estimated at £98 billion and it is difficult to predict how much money it will generate
- Existing rail routes could be improved to increase the number of passengers
- The number of people flying within the UK is already falling
- People do not want to travel any faster - intercity routes are already fast
- It will increase carbon emissions because high speed trains use more power.
- many people are against the plan, as the route passes through several stretches of the countryside and close to many homes
Why are ports important to the UK economy?
- UK ports industry is the largest in Europe, due to the length of the coastline and the UK’s long trading history
How many passengers travel through UK ports each year and how many people do UK ports employ?
- approx. 32mn passengers travel through UK ports each yr
- employs around 120,000 people
Who are UK’s largest ports run by?
- UK’s largest ports run by private companies which have invested heavily in port infrastructure
What is the purpose of ports?
- Some ports specialise in handling containers whilst others service ferries and cruises
- Most are all-purpose ports handling a range of goods and services
How much money did Belfast invest into the offshore renewable energy sector and why?
- Belfast- £50 million invested in facilities to service the offshore renewable energy sector
- Land is available to accommodate manufacturing for wind, wave and tidal energy
How much money did Bristol invest into ports for bulk handling and storage facilities?
Bristol (Avonmouth)- £195 million invested for bulk handling and storage facilities
Where is the main port for freight in the UK?
Dover was the main port for freight (lorries, cars, etc.)
How big is the port Felixstowe and how many containers does it handle?
Felixstowe was the UK’s largest container port, handling 2 million containers
What are the UK’s leading ports in terms of tonnage?
- The UK’s leading port in terms of tonnage was Grimsby, followed by London (Tilbury)
- Milford Haven (south Wales) and Southampton
What port developments are being made in the UK?
- Felixstowe and Harwich- a new rail terminal at Felixstowe and upgraded cruise service facilities at Harwich
- A new container terminal is being constructed at the Port of Liverpool - known as ‘Liverpool2’,
- the scheme to construct a deep water quay on the River Mersey will cost about £300 million
- The project will more than double the port’s capacity to over 1.5 million containers a year to compete with other major UK ports
- The terminal began operating in 2016 and will create thousands of jobs, boost the economy of the north west and reduce the amount of freight traffic on the roads
Positives of Liverpool2:
- The project will more than double the port’s capacity to over 1.5 million containers a year to compete with other major UK ports
- The terminal began operating in 2016 and will create 1,000s of jobs, boost the economy of the north west and reduce the amount of freight traffic on the roads
Negatives of Liverpool2:
- noise pollution increase for local people
- coastal habitats disrupted
Why are airports important to the UK economy?
- Airports are very important to the economy of the UK, creating vital global links
- They provide thousands of jobs and boost economic growth both regionally and nationally
What % of the UK’s GDP does the aviation sector account for and how many people does it employ?
- aviation sector accounts for 3.6% of UK’s GDP
- employs 300,000+ people
How many international flights depart from the UK annually and to how many airports and to how many countries?
More than 750 000 internationally flights depart from the UK annually, to almost 400 airports in 114 countries
How many tonnes of freight pass through UK airports each year?
2mn tonnes of freight
How many domestic flights + how many seats + how many regional airports are there for travelling across UK?
- Over 420 000 domestic flights provide 35 million seats annually to passengers travelling to over 60 regional airports across the UK
What airport developments are being made?
- Heathrow Expansion
- Heathrow is already the largest airport in the UK
- By 2030 it could be expanded even further
- A new runway would be built at an estimated cost of £18.6 billion
- Heathrow almost operates at full capacity, with 480,000 flights a year
- Construction of new 4th airport
Positives of Heathrow expansion:
- It will help London to compete with rivals like New York and Paris
- The airport employs 76 000 people and supports a similar number of jobs in London
- Expansion would boost the UK economy by over £200 billion
Negatives of Heathrow expansion:
- It is already the largest emitter of CO2 in the UK. This will increase when the airport expands
- Noise pollution will get worse for 1 million people who live below the flight path
- One village will be demolished and two others threatened
- controversy
Why are road developments important to UK economy?
- to increase capacity and improve condition of UK roads
- as population is growing more cars will use roads
What road improvements are being made?
- 2014 - UK announced £15bn investment in road improvements
- will involve 100 new road schemes by 2020
- 1,300 new lane miles to be added to motorways and trunk roads to ease congestion
- extra lanes on motorways to turn into smart motorways
- better links between London, Birmingham and the North
- A303 ‘super highway’ (main route to SW)
- £2bn investment of road working - will create a super highway by converting all roads to dual carriageway
- will create better links between roads
- involves building of tunnel under Stone Henge
Positives of development of A303 ‘super highway’ (main route to SW):
- will provide 1,000s of jobs in construction —> boost locals and regional economies
- in development of A303 - 100s of jobs created
- in long run, congestion will be eased making commutes and the movement of goods and services much easier
Negatives of development of A303 ‘super highway’ (main route to SW):
- will cause disruption to commuters and movement of goods and services while scheme is in progress - particularly troublesome as improvements are scheduled over 15 yrs
- employment opportunities for those involved in the road improvements need to be considered for after the scheme is complete
How does developing the UK’s transport infrastructure link to economic growth?
- bring more of UK within2hrs of travel of London - extending economic core of country
- urban centred tertiary/quaternary jobs = skilled workers
- more mobile and flexible labour force - more efficient
- higher availability of options = choice = lower cost = more trading + business
- multiplier effects
The North-South divide:
- The North-South Divide in the UK refers to the real or imagined cultural and economic differences between:
- The south of England (South East, Greater London, the South West and parts of eastern England)
- The north of England (Yorkshire, the Humber, the North East and North West) and the rest of the UK
How did the north-south divide develop?
- North of the UK are the hills and mountainous uplands regions
- This makes it harder to develop and poses challenges over climatic conditions in these areas.
- Manufacturing industry was located in the North until de-industrialisation - the UK’s growth was centred around Wales, northern England and Scotland during the industrial revolution
- Heavy industry and engineering thrived in the northern cities, leading to wealth and prosperity
Strategies used to reduce difference between north and south:
- assisted areas
- enterprise zones
- local enterprise partnerships
Use of assisted area:
- to provide money for new business
- linking cities with the North
- improved transport infrastructure
- improvements to M62 motorway and a proposed new high speed rial link
- gives more power to individual cities to take decisions on how to raise and spend their own money
Advantages of assisted areas:
- Increased job creation
- Increased income tax
- Local economies boosted
- Wealth distributed amongst UK
- Services and businesses can maintain and hopefully expand their positions
Disadvantages of assisted areas:
- The investment may not be sustainable - businesses may take advantage of the support and then leave
- Some of the investments may not benefit the local people (particularly resource extraction)
- Some people may be critical of others coming in and “taking over”
How many EZ’s are there in Englands?
approx. 45 - with similar policies adopted in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
What is the aim of EZ’s?
to encourage the establishment of new businesses creating jobs in areas where there were no pre-existing businesses
How does the gov support EZ’s?
- providing a business rate discount of up to £275,000 for a 5 yr period
- ensuring provision of superfast broadband
- financial allowances for plant and machinery
- simpler planning regulations to speed up establishment of new businesses
When were LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) established and what are they?
- established in 2011
- are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses
How many LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) are there in England?
38
What is the aim of LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships)?
- aim to identify business needs in local areas and encourage companies to invest
- jobs created —> boosting local economy
What is Lancashire’s traditional industry?
- has a tradition of industry and manufacturing based on textiles
How did de-industrialisation affect Lancashire?
- many factories closed down
- created many job issues
What sort of plan has Lancashire Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Cluster (LAMEC) created?
- Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnerships) secured £1bn growth plan involving 50+ initiatives
- 11,000 jobs created in 2021
- investment in LAMEC will support 10,000 new jobs
- investment in Lancashire Energy HQ
- in Blackpool, a national centre of training for the energy sector (£6.2mn)
- construction of Preston Western Distribitor, a major new road linking Prest and South Flyde to M55 (£58mn)
- improvements to access and traffic flow ina nd around Blackburn (£12mn)
- improvements to Blackpole Conference and Exhibition Centre
Culture:
Values and beliefs of a society and country
NATO:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - organisation to strengthen international ties between member states - especially USA and Europe (counter balance to Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries)
G8:
Group of 8 - Consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the USA - they try to tackle global problems by discussing big issues and planning what action to take
EU:
European Union - a politico-economic union of a number of European countries
The Commonwealth:
voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states, most being former British colonies
Single market:
an association of countries trading together without restrictions or tariffs
Creative industries:
industries which have their origin in individual creativity e.g. advertising and marketing
What is trade and what is becoming more important in trade?
- the single movement of goods and services across the world
- usually involves transport by air, sea, road and rail
- internet is becoming more important for trade e.g. in finance, communications and the creative industries
Who are UK’s most important trading links with?
- most important trading links with EU - as a single market goods can be traded between member states without tariffs
- USA is an important historic trading partner (historically close links), with recent growth in trade in China
How does the UK rely on China for trade?
- recent growth in trade in China
- relies on China heavily for importing products
- China’s economy is growing —> able to manufacture large quantities of relatively cheap products, particularly electrical and engineering
Which country does the UK receive the most imports from?
Germany - 13.8% of total imports
Reasons for the majority of UK’s trade being with EU countries:
- EU countries geographically closer to the UK so transport cheaper
- EU countries are among world’s wealthiest economies so volume of trade is higher
Top 5 import destinations for UK:
- Germany
- China
- USA
- France
- Netherlands
Top 5 export destinations for UK:
- USA
- Germany
- France
- China
- Switzerland
Aircraft hub:
a hub is used by one or more airlines which serve as a stop over to get passengers to their final destination
Port:
a town or city with a harbour or access to navigable water where ships load or unload
Mediterranean:
the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea
What is London Heathrow?
one of the busiest airports in the world
Why is London Heathrow important?
it is an important aircraft hub where people transfer between flights within Europe and worldwide
What do the flight routes from Heathrow reflect?
- flight routes from Heathrow reflect the parts of the world UK has most links with as a result of business, visiting family and friends and holidays
- also reflect the part of the world the UK has the most cultural and trade links e.g. festival such as Diwali and Eid are known in UK due to its strong relationship with India
How are there important transport links between the UK and mainland Europe?
- important transport links between UK and mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel and sea ferries
How does Southampton have global transport links?
Southampton is a major port for cruise liners that take 1,000s of tourists around the world to destinations such as Mediterranean and Caribbean
Values and beliefs:
Values are long lasting beliefs about what is important to a person
Chinese market:
the economy of China
Multi-cultural society:
a country which has a population which incorporates many ideas, beliefs and cultures
What does culture include?
- culture includes writing, painting or creativity in the form of fashion, architecture or music
What has given the UK strong cultural links with other parts of the world?
global importance of the English language - given UK strong cultural links
How have migrants brought their own culture to the UK?
- food e.g. Indian, Chinese, Thai
- fashion e.g. from France and Italy
- music e.g. from America and Afica
- films e.g. ‘Bollywood’ from India
- festivals e.g. the Notting Hill Carnival
What sort of society is the UK?
UK is a multi-cultural society accepting people fro other countries
What is one of the UK’s most successful media exports?
television
From 2019-2020 how much did TV programmes and associated features account for in export earnings?
- 2019 - 2020 TV programmes and associated features accounted for £1.48bn of export earnings - 6% rise from previous year
What are the most successful UK worldwide series?
- Downtown Abbey
- Dr Who
- Top Gear
- Love Island
- His Dark Materials
Who were the largest markets for UK TV exports (in order + how much they’re worth)?
- USA - worth around £466mn
- France (£102mn)
- Australia (98mn)
- China is a rapidly growing markket with 20% increase to £40mn from 2018 -2019
How many different countries has Peppa Pig been aired in?
170 different countries
Electronic communication:
data that is transferred through wire, radio or an electromagnetic system
Global economy:
the economies of the world where individual countries economies are seen as one
Arctic fibre:
a fibre optic system that will eventually link London to Tokyo via the Arctic
What does 99% of all internet traffic pass along?
- 99% of all internet traffic passes along a network of submarine high power cables
What is the UK a focus of in terms of electronic communication?
- UK is a focus for submarine cables with connections concentrated between the UK and USA
- there is a further concentration in east Asian connecting Japan, China and other countries in the region
Why is electronic communication a vital part of the global economy?
fast reliable responses are essential
What is Quintillion’s Arctic Fibre project?
- 3-phase 1500km submarine cable project, planned to connect Asia, Canada and Europe through the Arctic Ocean’s North West Passage launched in 2017
Political union:
a social group that operates together to obtain a political goal
Referendum:
a general vote on a single political question
When did the UK become a member of the EU and when did it leave?
- In 1973 the UK became a member of the European Union (EU) and left in 2021
When did the UK formally leave the EU and what did it enter?
- formally left EY on 31st January 2020
- it entered ‘transition period’ - UK’s relationship with EU remained unchanged
When did the BREXIT transition period end?
- transition period ended 31st December 2020
- free trade agreement reached with EU
- freedom of movement between countries no longer exists
- UK is no longer subject to EU’s rules and regulations
What did the EU begin as and how did it change?
- The EU began as a small trading group of industrial countries in north-west Europe
- Over the years it expanded to its current total of 27 countries, with the latest member Croatia joining in 2013
- The EU is still an important trading group, but its powers have extended to exert political influence over its members and elsewhere in the world
Why did the UK want to leave the EU?
- Many in the UK felt that the EU capital in Brussels is becoming too influential in making laws which affect the UK
- There was a political movement for the UK to leave the EU or at least limit its powers
What did the government do to decide whether it wanted to remain as an EU member or not?
- The government held a referendum in June 2016 to decide whether or not the UK remains an EU member
- It was voted to leave the EU
- The UK left the EU in 2021
Impacts the EU had on the UK:
- High unemployment and low wages in poorer EU countries
- particularly in Eastern Europe- may lead to mass migration of workers to the UK
- In 2013 over 200 000 immigrants (about 40% of total UK immigrants) came to the UK from the EU
- in 2019 net migration of 49,000 citizens from EU compared with 282,000 non EU citizens —> accounted for just 18% of migration compare to 40% in 2013
- The UK may have to support poorer member countries by paying more money to the EU
- There are EU laws and controls on crime, pollution and consumers’ rights - these rules can be restrictive for individuals and companies in the UK
- Financial support for farmers
- The Single Payments Scheme, introduced in 2015, is part of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy
- In 2015, £18 billion was made to support dairy farmers in England and Wales
- The European Structural and Investment Funds provide support for disadvantaged regions in the UK and sectors such as fisheries
- The EU is the biggest single market in the world. Goods, services, capital and labour can move freely between member states and encourage trade
Benefits of BREXIT:
- whilst in EU, UK avoided exporter tariffs and red tape
- as 45% of British exports go to EU there will be lot more paperwork for exporters
- UK can however secure trade deals with other countries around the world
- EU makes standards for products and services the same across all its member states which means that food standards, for example, will be same in Italy as in France
- now UK can set its own standards for products and services
Disadvantages of BREXIT:
- UK used to pay money to access the Single Market
- they are no longer obliged to pay EU money, but will not be part of trading bloc which means exchanging goods and services may be more time consuming and costly
- EU can use its large financial budget to help areas of UK improve economically and fund large-scale projects (e.g. Eden Project)
- meant some of UK’s money funded projects in Europe outside UK will discontinue
- as member of EU UK was represented twice in international conferences, by the foreign secretary and by a representative of the EU
- now UK has less influence but can act completely independently
New trade deal between UK and EU:
- Trade and business
- UK left EU single market —> more paperwork but avoid trade tariffs
- Immigration
- ends free movement of workers to UK
- doesn’t apply to students
- people with jobs which are in shortage in the UK are fast tracked to living here
- Fishing
- EU fishing rights decreased
- Northern Ireland and Ireland
- Northern Ireland still part of UK but aligned with EU market
- trade disputes cabs till be checked in Europe
British colonies:
countries that were once under British rule
Equitable:
reasonable development
here do the Commonwealth’s roots go back to?
- roots go back to BritishEmpire - explain why many of members are former British colonies
- today any country an join Commonwealth given they meet certain terms
How many people are in the Commonwealth and what % of them are under age of 30?
- It is home to 2.4 billion people
- approx. 60 per cent under age of 30
What sort of countries is the Commonwealth made up of?
- 32 of its members are small state - many of them island nations
- The Commonwealth includes some of the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries
The Commonwealth Secretariat:
- represents Commonwealth countries and provides advice on a range of issues including human rights, social and economic development and youth empowerment
- The secretariat aims to help governments achieve sustainable, inclusive and equitable development
- The heads of each country meet every two years to discuss items of common interest
What are the important links between the UK and the Commonwealth?
- important trading and cultural links
- many people have moved to work, study or settle permanently in UL from countries and regions such as India, Nigeria, Bangladesh and the Caribbean
- The Commonwealth Games (Birmingham 2022) one of world’s major sporting events