UK

Question 1

How has the UK’s economy changed?

Answer 1

Before 1800, mainly primary sector (farming, mining). Industrial Revolution, mainly secondary sector. Last few decades, shift to tertiary sector (services). Quaternary sector recently started to grow.

Question 2

Define ‘de-industrialisation’.

Answer 2

The decline in manufacturing (secondary sector) and subsequent growth in tertiary & quaternary sectors.

Question 3

How has de-industrialisation changed the UK’s economy?

Answer 3

Machines & technology have replaced people. Cheaper goods produced abroad due to cheap labour. Traditional industries like coal mining have declined.

Question 4

Define ‘globalisation’.

Answer 4

The growth and spread of ideas, cultures, people & money around the world.

Question 5

How has globalisation changed the UK’s economy?

Answer 5

Allowed quaternary sector to grow – many work on global brands & products. Boosted world trade= more products imported (also contributed to decline of manufacturing).

Question 6

How have government policies changed the UK economy?

Answer 6

Privatisation in the late 70s = older industries lost. Current focus on infrastructure improvement = investment in manufacturing.

Question 7

Define ‘post-industrial economy’.

Answer 7

An economy which is mainly based on jobs and money made from the tertiary and quaternary industries.

Question 8

How has IT contributed to a post-industrial economy in the UK?

Answer 8

Computers and internet allow data to be stored, accessed and shared instantly. More people working from home. Businesses designing software = foreign investment.

Question 9

What has happened to service industries & finance?

Answer 9

Grown rapidly since 1970s. Currently = 79% of UK economic output. London is world leading financial centre. Financial industry employs 2 million people.

Question 10

What has happened to research (quaternary sector)?

Answer 10

Contributes >£300 million to UK economy. Employs 60,000 highly qualified people. Research conducted in universities & governments. British Antarctic Survey is based in Antarctica.

Question 11

What is a science park?

Answer 11

A group of scientific and technical knowledge-based businesses located on a single site. There are over 100 in the UK.

Question 12

How many people work in the UK’s science parks?

Answer 12

Approximately 75,000.

Question 13

Why has there been a growth in the number of science parks?

Answer 13

Help support businesses with research & new ideas. Growth in demand for new products e.g. mobile phones = new technology needs to be developed. Uni research departments have high reputation.

Question 14

Why are many science parks located near to universities?

Answer 14

Use of university facilities and technology. Access to skilled graduates.

Question 15

What is desirable about the location of University of Southampton science park?

Answer 15

Extensive greenery and woodland areas surround it. Excellent transport links to the M3. Close to Southampton International Airport.

Question 16

What is a business park?

Answer 16

An area of land occupied by a cluster of businesses.

Question 17

Why are business parks usually located on the edges of towns?

Answer 17

Land is cheaper here than it is in the city centre. More space to expand businesses. Better access to motorways (transporting goods). Less congestion than in town/city centre.

Question 18

What is the name of the UK’s largest business park?

Answer 18

Cobalt Business Park, located in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Question 19

What is desirable about the location of Cobalt Business Park?

Answer 19

Close to main A1 road. 20 minutes from international airport. Retail outlets nearby. Fitness centre, cycle-ways & green spaces nearby.

Question 20

Why do businesses locating in Cobalt Business Park quality for government support?

Answer 20

Because NE England has suffered from economic decline. More businesses = higher economic output.

Question 21

What are the environmental impacts of industry?

Answer 21

Manufacturing plants are dull & obtrusive. Industrial processes = air, water, soil pollution. Waste from manufacturing goes into landfill which can pollute air, water, soil.

Question 22

How can industrial developments be made more sustainable?

Answer 22

Desulphurisation removes sulphur dioxide from power station chimneys. Strict environmental targets, Heavy fines if accidents occur.

Question 23

What are the environmental impacts of quarrying?

Answer 23

Destroys natural habitats. Pollutes watercourses. Scars the landscape.

Question 24

How are the environmental impacts of quarrying managed?

Answer 24

Strict rules around blasting & removing dust. Recycling encouraged to reduce waste. Quarrying companies expected to restore quarry once out of use.

Question 25

Where is Torr Quarry?

Answer 25

Mendip Hills, Somerset.

Question 26

How is Torr Quarry economically significant?

Answer 26

Employs >100 people. Contributes £15 million to economy every year. Nationally important source of construction materials.

Question 27

How is Torr Quarry sustainable?

Answer 27

60 acres of quarry landscaped (trees & grass planted) to blend in with surroundings. Wildlife lakes created for recreation. Quarry deepened instead of widened.

Question 28

Name a rural area of population growth.

Answer 28

South Cambridgeshire.

Question 29

Where is South Cambridgeshire?

Answer 29

Surrounds the city of Cambridge, in eastern England.

Question 30

What is happening to the population of South Cambridgeshire?

Answer 30

Increasing: 1,006 international migrants settled there in 2016. Population in 2018: 157,000. By 2031, population will reach 182,000.

Question 31

What are the impacts of population growth in South Cambridgeshire?

Answer 31

Many residents are commuters & use services where they work = negative impact on local economy. High demand for housing = high house prices = young people move out as cannot afford to live there.

Question 32

What are the impacts of population growth in South Cambridgeshire?

Answer 32

80% car ownership = congestion. High employment rate as most people moving in are highly-skilled (84.4% of people employed, compared to national average of 75.7%).

Question 33

Name a rural area of population decline.

Answer 33

The Outer Hebrides.

Question 34

Where are The Outer Hebrides?

Answer 34

Located off the north-western coast of Scotland.

Question 35

What is happening to the population of The Outer Hebrides?

Answer 35

Declining: Declined by >50% since 1901. 26,000 people currently live there. Most live on main island; Lewis.

Question 36

What are the impacts of population decline in The Outer Hebrides?

Answer 36

Schools closing as families move away. Less working people to support elderly dependents. Fishing industry declined – only a few boats left in 2013, compared to 900 fishing boats in 1948.

Question 37

How is road infrastructure being improved in the UK?

Answer 37

2014 - £15 billion Road Investment Strategy, including introduction of Smart Motorways.

Question 38

Why are Smart Motorways needed?

Answer 38

Congestion costs economy £2 billion every year.

Question 39

What are Smart Motorways?

Answer 39

Motorways which allow the hard shoulder to be used as a ‘live’ lane for cars.

Question 40

What are the issues around Smart Motorways?

Answer 40

Positive – make traffic flow smoother, alert drivers to traffic ahead, allow lanes to close if accident occurs. Negative – 38 people killed since 2014, usually due to confusion around which lanes were ‘live’ at the time.

Question 41

How is railway infrastructure being improved in the UK?

Answer 41

Better links between UK and Europe, and between UK cities. Examples include HS2.

Question 42

What is HS2?

Answer 42

High-speed rail link connecting London with Birmingham and the North of England. 400-metre long trains; up to 1,100 seats per train. Speeds up to 250mph; B’ham-London in 52 mins.

Question 43

What are the issues around HS2?

Answer 43

Positive – increase investment in north, reduce journey times, create jobs. Negative - many delays, very expensive (£106 billion), damage to countryside, jobs mainly for Londoners.

Question 44

How is port infrastructure being improved in the UK?

Answer 44

Expansion to increase passenger and cargo capacity, as well as investment in renewable energy.

Question 45

Why does port infrastructure need to be improved?

Answer 45

Important for trade. Important for tourism (cruise ships). Well-located for offshore renewable energy.

Question 46

What is Liverpool2?

Answer 46

A new container terminal at the Port of Liverpool.

Question 47

What are the issues around Liverpool2?

Answer 47

Positive – create 5,000 jobs, eliminate 200 miles of transport per container journey. Negative – cost £400 million.

Question 48

How is airport infrastructure being improved in the UK?

Answer 48

Expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Question 49

Why is aviation important for the UK?

Answer 49

UK has largest aviation network in Europe. Contributes £2 billion to economy. Supports 500,000 jobs. 2017: UK airports handled 245 million passengers.

Question 50

What are the issues around expansion of Heathrow Airport?

Answer 50

Positive – 700 more planes into UK every day, create 77,000 new jobs, create 5,000 apprenticeships. Negative – air pollution, noise pollution, people of Longford displaced, high court battle.

Question 51

What is the north-south divide?

Answer 51

The cultural and economic differences between the north (Scotland, Wales, NI, NE, NW, Midlands) & south (London, SE, SW) of the UK.

Question 52

What are the differences between the north and south?

Answer 52

Life expectancy: 75.7 in Liverpool; 79.5 in Cambridge. House price: £137k in north; £265k in London. Lower unemployment in the south. Lower GCSE grades in the north.

Question 53

Why is there a north-south divide?

Answer 53

Heavy industry/coalfields were centred in north but declined due to de-industrialisation and increased importance of renewables. Growth of London as a global financial centre.

Question 54

How are LEPs addressing the divide?

Answer 54

Businesses, councils, universities work together to encourage businesses to invest & create jobs. Lancashire LEP – create 11,000 jobs & build 3,900 homes by 2021. Improve Preston-M55 link.

Question 55

How are EZs addressing the divide?

Answer 55

Encourage businesses to set up, attract foreign investment, provide superfast broadband to businesses, give £275,000 business rate discount. Birmingham EZ – creation of 40,000 jobs.

Question 56

How does trade link the UK with the world?

Answer 56

USA & China are important trading partners. 2018 – UK-China exports were road vehicles, pharmaceutical products & gold. UK negotiating deals with EU/world post-Brexit.

Question 57

How does culture link the UK with the world?

Answer 57

UK exports its culture via TV e.g. Downton Abbey. Multicultural communities in UK = sharing of global cultures via food, music, TV, language, fashion.

Question 58

How does transport link the UK with the world?

Answer 58

2019 – Heathrow was 7th busiest passenger airport in the world. Many important transport hubs in UK = holidays, business travel, trade.

Question 59

How does electronic communication link the UK with the world?

Answer 59

Fast, reliable internet important for business efficiency & connecting people. Arctic Fibre will link Asia, Canada & Europe via Arctic Ocean = more reliable connections.

Question 60

How did the EU link the UK with the world?

Answer 60

Single market in EU = free movement of people, goods & services between member countries. Shared laws on consumer rights & environment. Countries financially supporting one another.

Question 61

How has the relationship with the EU changed?

Answer 61

Was a member since 1973; left in 2020. Some were concerned laws were restrictive & too much money was being paid to EU. UK negotiating new trade deals with EU countries.

Question 62

How does the Commonwealth link the UK with the world?

Answer 62

53 former British colonies. Governments meet every 2 years to discuss human rights, youth empowerment, social development. Commonwealth Games every 4 years (B’ham 2022).