Fertile Ground

Shanker Singham
14 June 2019
Research

Fertile Ground

Opportunities and challenges for UK agriculture

This paper examines the current state of UK agriculture and makes recommendations as to what the long term goals of a UK agricultural policy could be, after the UK leaves the EU, in a way that maximises the potential benefits of a genuinely independent agricultural policy, while minimising the disruptions caused by leaving the EU. ... Continue reading
Shanker Singham
14 June 2019
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Not everyone’s cup of tea…

Catherine McBride
24 May 2019
Research

Not everyone’s cup of tea…

IEA Financial Services unit releases report outlining the unintended consequences of MifID II regulations

MiFID II, together with MiFIR (Regulation (EU) No 600/2014), was intended to create a more transparent, competitive and integrated financial market in the EU by reducing trading outside regulated markets, increasing protection for investors and consumers, and improving financial stability. The Directive harmonises the EU regulatory regime with respect to organisational requirements for investment firms, ... Continue reading
Catherine McBride
24 May 2019
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Integrating Health and Social Care

Professor Philip Booth
15 May 2019
Research

Integrating Health and Social Care

State or Market?

Summary: Medical and nursing care have been separated from social care by deliberate design since the creation of the NHS. This is true with regard to the institutional and policy frameworks and also with regard to how care is provided in practice. This divide, even if once justified, is now entirely artificial. People spend far ... Continue reading
Professor Philip Booth
15 May 2019
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Top Dogs and Fat Cats

Edited by J.R. Shackleton
8 May 2019
Research

Top Dogs and Fat Cats

Summary In contrast to the recent past when even Labour politicians were ‘intensely relaxed’ about high pay, there is now widespread concern about the apparent excesses of some pay structures in corporate businesses. Top pay has risen much faster than average levels of pay in the last twenty years. This is in part the consequence ... Continue reading
Edited by J.R. Shackleton
8 May 2019
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Taxation without justification

Philip Booth & Rosalind Beck
4 May 2019
Research

Taxation without justification

An economic analysis of the Treasury’s treatment of privately rented housing

Summary: The private rented sector has played a critical role in increasing and improving housing provision in the UK. Around 80 per cent of private sector tenants are satisfied with their homes and satisfaction in the sector compares favourably with that in the social rented sector. This contribution has gone unrecognised: instead, landlords have been ... Continue reading
Philip Booth & Rosalind Beck
4 May 2019
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SMPC votes Five / Four to Hold Bank Rate in April

2 May 2019
Research

SMPC votes Five / Four to Hold Bank Rate in April

Shadow Monetary Policy Committee votes to hold bank rate

At its second full meeting of 2019, held in April, the Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (SMPC) voted by a narrow margin to keep Bank rate at 0.75%. Five voted to hold rates and four voted for a ¼ point rise. Four main reasons were given by those voting to keep rates at 0.75%. First, raising ... Continue reading
2 May 2019
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Whose company is it anyway?

Catherine McBride
29 April 2019
Research

Whose company is it anyway?

The benefits of unprotected capitalism and unruly shareholders

Summary Free-market capitalism requires creative destruction. It is important that poorly performing companies are allowed to go out of business or allowed to be taken over, and it is equally important that new companies are able to replace them. If company management is not maximising shareholder value, then the shareholders should be entitled to act. ... Continue reading
Catherine McBride
29 April 2019
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The Consequences of a Permanent Customs Union

Shanker Singham
25 April 2019
Research

The Consequences of a Permanent Customs Union

IEA releases briefing on the reality of customs union membership

Summary:  A customs union with the EU would come with significant costs to the UK’s economic, trade and foreign policies. Such an arrangement would also fail, by itself, to eliminate trade ‘friction’ with the EU. To do so would also require alignment with the Single Market rules for goods. A customs union would also come ... Continue reading
Shanker Singham
25 April 2019
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A Load of Rubbish? Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme to the UK

Christopher Snowdon
14 April 2019
Research

A Load of Rubbish? Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme to the UK

Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme to the UK

Summary: A UK-wide deposit return scheme (DRS) can be expected to increase recycling rates for beverage bottles and cans from 70-75 per cent to 85-90 per cent, but at a disproportionate cost. A DRS is expected to cost over £1 billion in its first year and £814 million per annum thereafter. The tangible economic benefits ... Continue reading
Christopher Snowdon
14 April 2019
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The Gender Pay Gap Reporting Measures: 2019 Update

Kate Andrews
4 April 2019
Research

The Gender Pay Gap Reporting Measures: 2019 Update

Gender pay gap reporting produces another round of misleading statistics

Summary Now into the second year of mandated gender pay gap reporting for large organisations, it has become increasingly clear that the influx of data - ranging from negative gaps, to gaps exceeding 50% - fails to provide any meaningful insight into equal or fair pay for men and women in the workplace. The requirement ... Continue reading
Kate Andrews
4 April 2019
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