Alan Trench

Flawed fiscal thinking in Wales

23 June 2011 | Alan Trench

There are some curious elements to the proposed financial settlement for Wales. The first minister seems to see tax devolution as a way of securing economic levers rather than sources of revenue to fund public services Read more...

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Tax devolution: devil in the detail

25 May 2011 | Alan Trench

The Commons Northern Ireland Committee is broadly supporting the idea of devolving corporation tax. But it’s quite extraordinary that such a proposition can have got as far as it has without anyone having sensible figures for the amounts of tax involved Read more

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Fantasy and fibbing on the campaign trail, by Alan Trench

3 May 2011 | Alan Trench

As the election campaigns in Scotland and Wales enter the final straight there are a couple of things worth saying. Read more...

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What about the Wales Office? By Alan Trench

9 March 2011 | Alan Trench

Following the referendum result, Welsh politicians have weighed into debate about the role of the Wales Office.  Ieuan Wyn Jones, the deputy first minister, and Lord Elis-Thomas, the Assembly’s presiding officer, have called for its abolition and replacement by a ‘department of nations and regions’; that has been rejected by the current Secretary of State, Cheryl Gillan, and her shadow and predecessor, Peter Hain. There are news reports from BBC Wales here and here. (My own views about the issue are set out HERE.) Read more...

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The yes or no question for Wales, by Alan Trench

13 January 2011 | Alan Trench

The state of both ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns in the referendum on primary legislative powers in Wales has been a cause of concern for some time.  On the ‘Yes’ side, the problem has been the length of time it has taken to put together a campaign organisation and launch it.  Finding common ground took most of the autumn, but a chairman – Roger Lewis of the Welsh Rugby Union – was named before Christmas, and the campaign ‘Yes for Wales’ formally launched just after the New Year. (The ‘Yes for Wales’ website is here, for those interested.) Read more...

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Danny’s day out in Cardiff, by Alan Trench

23 November 2010 | Alan Trench

Much has been made of Danny Alexander’s appearance in Wales yesterday before the National Assembly’s Finance Committee. What’s really interesting, though, is not the fact of the chief secretary to the Treasury’s visit or the ‘grilling’ he got from AMs, but what he appears to have had to say about reforming devolution’s financial arrangements. Read more...

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Devolution mismatch, by Alan Trench

2 November 2010 | Alan Trench

The Spending Review is no longer at the forefront of the news, but it’s still worth thinking about. The spending plans it sets out and their implications will determine much of the political, economic and social life for the remainder of this Parliament. That’s as true for territorial matters as it is for any others. Read more...

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Devolution declaration, by Alan Trench

11 October 2010 | Alan Trench

The devolved first ministers’ declaration about cuts (available here; the BBC News story is here) is rather interesting, even if there is less to it than meets the eye. Read more...

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Salmond’s canny move on independence, by Alan Trench

13 September 2010 | Alan Trench

The Scottish Government unveiled its legislative programme for the new Parliamentary session last week.  Much comment has focused on its narrow or worthy scope, with bills on such matters as the double-jeopardy rule, maintaining Scottish Water’s position in the public sector but enabling it to attract more private sector capital, increasing the sanctions for forced marriage, and reducing charges for cremation certificates.  The centrepiece of the legislative programme will be the budget bill – a bill which has to be considered every year and isn’t a matter of choice for a government. Read more...

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On devolution and data, by Alan Trench

9 August 2010 | Alan Trench

Data is about the most unsexy topic in public policy debates. But it’s also vital; if we don’t have good quality, accurate data about key subjects, we can’t understand how they work, or what the problems are. It’s no accident that much of the work of pioneer social reformers like Seebohm Rowntree was to collect their own accurate, up-to-date data about social conditions. Read more...

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