Topic 6: Domestic Policy (1997-2007) Flashcards
1
Q
4
Describe education policy under Blair
A
- ‘education, education, education’
- Huge increase in investment
- Emphasis on improving standards rather than old debates over Grammar Schools
- Retained Major’s league tables and inspections
2
Q
7
Describe the positives of education under Blair
A
- Core ‘per pupil’ funding raised by 44% from 1997 to 2007
- Increase of 36k teachers and 154k support staff
- Teacher pay increased by 18%
- Capital investment increased eightfold (1997 to 2007)
- Achievement of 5 GCSEs with English and maths up from 36% to 45%
- By 2007, 43% of 18-30yo went to uni
- Sure Start programme proved successful
3
Q
4
Describe the Sure Start programme
A
- Introduced by Brown in 1998
- Provided support for children u4 and families in disadvantaged areas
- Chldcare, health, education support
- Aimed to develop equality of opportunity before the start of schooling years
4
Q
6
Describe the negatives of education under Blair
A
- Failed to meet target of 50% of students in HE by 2010 (though acheived significant students)
- 1/4 of 16-18yo not in education or training by 2007
- employees receiving job-related training unchanged on 15%
- 2004, university fees upped to £3000
- 500 of nearly 4000 secondary schools deemed to be failing by 2007
- Continuing trend of ‘postcode choice’
Tuition fees had been introduced in 1998 and set at £1000. Yet only those with family earnings over £35k threshold paid full amount
5
Q
3
Describe crime policy under Blair
A
- As shadow HS in 1992, promised to be ‘tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime’
- Aimed to counter Conservative’s tough law and order policy
- Measures to reduce social exclusion paired wiith longer prison sentences
6
Q
4
Describe positives in crime under Blair
A
- Crime fell by 35% (1997-2007)
- Steep falls in burglaries (55%) and car crime (51%)
- Backlog of asylum applications reduced from 60k to 6k
- ‘Respect’ campaigns transformed lives of vulnerable with 10k asbos and 300k spot fines
asbos - anti-social behaviour orders
7
Q
4
Describe negatives in crime under Blair
A
- Prison numbers at record high of 80k by 2007
- Rises in teenage gun/knife frime despite new police powers
- 2/3 of inmates reoffended after leaving prison - rehabilitation process weak
- creeping authoritarianism: Anti-terrorism, crime and security Act 2001 (indefinite detention) and Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 (wanted 90 days, settled at 28 days)
8
Q
4
Describe the biggest increase in NHS expenditure 2000
A
- 2000, stealth taxes permitted biggest rise in NHS expenditure
- Cancer and heart disease saw most investment
- mental health and maternity saw least
- Treasury-driven targets to shorten waits on casualty wards
9
Q
5
Describe positives in health under Blair
A
- Spending rose from £34bn (1997) to £94bn (2008)
- 20k more consultants and GPs and 70k more nurses by 2008
- Waiting lists for operations fell by 384k in Blair’s tenure
- Biggest expenditure increase, 2000
- Public Health Act 2006 (effective 2007)
10
Q
5
Describe negatives in health under Blair
A
- Blair did not promise increased health spending to make it level with the rest of Europe until 1999 following spate of deaths
- 43% of additional funding channeled into staff and pay rises
- Brought in private sector involvement to allow for competition - yet caused uncertainty among managers whether hospitals would survive growth of private units
- Drugs bill rose by 13%
- Number of beds fell by 15k (but there was more day case surgery)
11
Q
2
Describe increased usage of the NHS under Blair (indicates confidence/pressure)
A
- number of people using NHS increased by 3% p.a.
- 75% in number of emergency calls
12
Q
2
Describe the departmental rebranding to work and pensions
A
- Rebranding of ‘Department of Social Security’ to ‘Department of Work and Pensions’ in 2001
- epitomised promotion of work to end poverty
13
Q
4
Describe work and pensions policy under Blair
A
- means-tested welfare
- Blair - ‘work for those who can, security for those who can’t’
- ‘New Deal schemes’ and tax credits aided young, over 50s into employment
- Redistribution schemes received little fanfare (to avoid criticism)
14
Q
5
Descrive the positives of work and pensions policy under Blair
A
- Spending on child-related benefits increased by 53% (1997-2003)
- 700k children lifted out of poverty
- Number of single mothers in work rose from 45% to 56%
- 2006, announced plans to re-link basic state pension with earnings after Thatcher abolition
- Redistributive schemes (e.g. tax credits) saw poorest 10% gain 13% of national income (1997-2010)
15
Q
3
Descrive the negatives of work and pensions under Blair
A
- Number of people claiming incapacity benefits rose from 2.3m to 2.7m
- Thousands of companies axed final salary pensions
- Waited until 2006 to announce re-link earnings and state pensions
final salary pension - a type of pension where annual income is based on final salary
16
Q
3
Describe the New Deal for young unemployed people 1998
A
- 1998 programme
- applied to 18-24yos who had been on jobseekers’ allowance for 6 months
- mandated them to be part of scheme to find employment
17
Q
3
Describe positives in transport under Blair
A
- 10 year plan promised £180bn of public and private investment into roads/public transport
- 2003, Livingston announced ambitious congestion charging scheme in London
- Government on target for 40% reduction in serious car accidents by 2010
18
Q
4
Describe negatives in transport under Blair
A
- Fatal rail crashes at Southall, Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield across 1998-2001 rocked confidence in public transport
- blockade at fuel depots in 2001
- 2001, Railwork collapsed after government withdrew funding
- Congestion costing economy £15bn a year
Railwork - privatised rail network operator
19
Q
3
Describe positives in environmental policy under Blair
A
- Britain became international leader on tackling climate change
- Used British chairing of G8 in 2005 to place climate change at top of agenda
- UK research influenced global thinking e.g. Stern Report 2006 which argued that climate change limited global economic capacity by 5%
20
Q
3
Describe negatives in biodiversity under Blair
A
- Biodiversity - the most important indicator of environmental health - declined
- 2001, 6m livestock slaughtered to control foot and mouth disease
- 2004, development of commercial GM crops put on hold after mixed results
21
Q
4
Describe negatives in global warming under Blair
A
- Emmissions rose 5/10 years from 1997 to 2007 despite pledges for cuts
- DEFRA unable to galvanise other departments into action
- Clean energy development stalled by planning hold-ups
- contradictory policies: e.g. real term fall in fuel taxes despite push for climate action
22
Q
2
Describe positives in the arts under Blair
A
- Spending on arts more than doubled from 1997-2007 (£186m to £412m)
- Attendance at museums rose by 83%
23
Q
4
Describe positives in competitive sports under Blair
A
- Increased public funding from £222m to £580m (from Treasury and National Lottery)
- Britain rose from 36th in medals table (1996) to 10th (2004)
- Amateur sports clubs benefitted from 80% rate reliefs
- Blair’s 48hrs of personal diplomacy among IOC members in Singapore in 2005 arguably ensured success of London 2012 bid
24
Q
3
Describe positives in school sport under Blair
A
- Record investment levels
- rise of pupils doing recommended minimum level of PE of 2hrs per week from 2m (2001) to 5m (2007)
- 97% of schools held a competitive sports day by 2007
25
Q
2
Describe negatives in culture/sport under Blair
A
- Cut sports’ share of lottery revenue from 20% to 16.6%
- Growth of childhood obesity
26
Q
2
Describe domestic crises under Blair
A
- Rising fuel prices in 2000 led to blockade by farmers and lorry drivers (Conservatives temporarily took lead in polls)
- 2001 Foot and mouth outbreak led to culling
27
Q
5
Describe the ban on hunting with dogs
A
- Labour attempted to ban hunting with dogs
- People in countryside felt neglected by urban Blair government
- Opposition in HoL
- 2002, Countryside Alliance organised march against ban in which 0.5m attended
- Ban finally passed in 2004
