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A timely consideration of the development and content of the Conservatives' approaches to social policy and how they inform the Coalition's policies.

Abstract
The introduction of evidence sessions for House of Commons public bill committees in 2007, including oral evidence from witnesses, was widely seen as a potentially significant improvement in informing scrutiny of legislation. Drawing on interviews with officials and witnesses, and on data gathered from Hansard for the 2017–2019 session, this article examines the selection and some of the characteristics of witnesses, witnesses' views of the process and how oral evidence is used in subsequent scrutiny of the legislation. While recognising that oral evidence does make an important contribution to scrutiny, the article notes that both the process as it currently exists, and the inevitable influence of political factors, mean that the impact of oral evidence on legislation remains very limited.

Despite the frequent comparisons and discussions of continuity between the Conservatives' social policies and those of New Labour, it is certainly true that the mechanisms which each has used to develop and implement social policy have been rhetorically, and often practically, different. Under the Conservatives the emphasis on markets and marketisation, with the centrality of the 'consumer', was reflected in social policy including through devices such as privatisation, compulsory competitive tendering, the creation of internal markets, managerialism and the use of 'Next Steps' agencies for delivery. New Labour's approach has made familiar terms such as 'joined-up' government, 'evidence-based' policy, 'partnership', 'modernisation' and 'democratic renewal'. And, whatever might be said about their social policies, New Labour have shown a degree of radicalism in their governmental and constitutional reforms, most notably perhaps through devolution to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and the passing of the Human Rights Act. At the same time, the EU has been developing as a political and decision-making entity with an emerging social dimension, that has, as Duncan argues here, the potential for some impact on UK social policy.

"This thoroughly revised and expanded new edition provides a comprehensive introduction to contemporary social policy and addresses its historical, theoretical and contextual foundations as well as contemporary policy issues relating to health, education and welfare as well as the impact of Brexit. Divided into four sections, it opens with a survey of the socio-economic, political and governmental contexts within which social policy operates, before moving on to look at the historical development of the subject. The third section examines contemporary aspects of providing welfare, whilst the final part covers European and wider international developments"--

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of Tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1 Local Representation: Theory and Practice -- 2 The Development of Local Government -- 3 Local Government and the Representation of Women -- 4 Selection, Election and Council Work -- 5 Career, Vocation or Service? -- 6 Comparative Perspectives -- 7 The Future for Councillors -- Bibliography -- Index

"This book combines both academic and practitioner perspectives to provide critical consideration of contemporary policy-making and highlight examples of good practice at all levels of government." "In Professional Policy Making for the Twenty-First Century the Cabinet Office's Strategic Policy Making Team identified nine 'competencies' as the key features of 'modern policy making': forward-looking; outward-looking; innovative, flexible and creative; evidence-based; inclusive; joined-up; open to review; open to evaluation; and capable of learning lessons." "Using these to structure the book, nine central chapters - each written by a pair of co-authors, one primarily an academic, and the other primarily a policy maker or practitioner - examine the competencies in turn. Accompanying case studies provide lessons or pointers to good practice, together with guidance on how to access further information." "Set in the context of New Labour's emphasis on 'modernisation', and reflecting the growing emphasis on policy making as a skill, the book will appeal to a range of audiences, including undergraduate and postgraduate students on courses that draw upon approaches to public administration and public policy, and social researchers, policy officers and others involved in the development and analysis of policy making at all tiers of government."--BOOK JACKET

Welfare reform is a central part of the modernisation programme adopted by the Labour Government since 1997. This book examines the role of Parliament in the formulation and scrutiny of welfare policy, focusing in particular on how MPs and Peers view their influence on policy

Welfare reform is a central part of the modernisation programme adopted by the Labour Government since 1997. This book examines the role of Parliament in the formulation and scrutiny of welfare policy, focusing in particular on how MPs and Peers view their influence on policy.