British Devolution and European Policy-Making Transforming Britain into Multi-Level Governance

by Bulmer, Simon; Burch, Martin; Carter, Caitriona; Hogwood, Patricia

• ISBN13: 9781403900104
• ISBN10: 1403900108
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-02-08
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

In 1999 the Blair government introduced British devolution as part of a major program of constitutional reform. This development posed major questions concerning how relations with the EU would be affected. Previously, policymaking in the UK had been centralized on Whitehall and Westminster. However, devolution to Scotland and Wales introduced new actors; the Scottish Executive and Parliament, and the National Assembly for Wales. This study explores the institutional changes designed to accommodate these devolved authorities, while maintaining a central role for the UK government.

Author Biography

Simon Bulmer is Professor of Government, and Martin Burch is in the Department of Government, both at the University of Manchester.

Caitrfona Carteris at the School of Law, University of Edinburgh.

Patricia Hogwood is in the Department of Politics, University of Glasgow.

Table of Contents

List of Tables, Box and Figure	vii
Preface	viii
The devolution project	ix
Leaders and events	xiv
Behind the politics: administering devolution	xvii
List of Abbreviations	xxiii
Introduction: Labour, Constitutional Change and European Policy	1	(14)
Introduction	1	(1)
The nature and scope of the study	2	(3)
Institutional change	5	(2)
The process for developing and operationalising Labour Policy on devolution	7	(3)
Devolution and European policy: powers and responsibilities	10	(3)
Summary	13	(1)
Structure of the report	13	(2)
Adapting to Europe: the Pre-Devolution Story	15	(18)
Introduction	15	(1)
Adapting to what? The sources of institutional change	16	(2)
Institutional change and European policy-making prior to devolution	18	(11)
The challenges posed by devolution	29	(4)
European Business and the Executives	33	(38)
Introduction	33	(3)
Establishing the new arrangements: July 1998-October 1999	36	(16)
Arrangements post-devolution	52	(11)
Conclusions	63	(8)
European Business and the Assemblies	71	(36)
Introduction	71	(1)
Parliamentary arrangements for handling EU business: the UK level	72	(5)
Preparing for devolution: July 1998-June 1999	77	(13)
Post-devolution: June 1999-February 2000	90	(12)
Conclusions	102	(5)
The Post-Devolution Governance of Rural and Environmental Affairs: Early Impressions	107	(27)
Introduction	107	(1)
Agriculture	108	(18)
Environmental Policy	126	(5)
Conclusion: continuity or change?	131	(3)
Relations between the Devolved Administrations and the European Union	134	(24)
Introduction	134	(1)
Scotland	135	(9)
Wales	144	(9)
Conclusions	153	(5)
Conclusion	158	(18)
Introduction	158	(5)
The thinking underlying the changes in EU policy-making	163	(3)
Points of tension	166	(4)
Measuring change: a critical juncture?	170	(3)
Proposals for the further reform of European policy-making	173	(3)
Notes	176	(17)
Appendixes	193	(18)
Bibliography	211	(5)
Index	216