Regional variations in public service outcomes: the impact of policy divergence in England, Scotland and Wales

Regional variations in public service outcomes: the impact of policy divergence in England, Scotland and Wales, Regional Studies. Analysis of statutory performance indicators reveals statistically significant differences between public service outcomes in England, Scotland, and Wales, even when controlling for other relevant variables. The most significant variations are in hospital waiting times and school examination results. Since health and education are the two largest services for which devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales now have direct responsibility, it is likely that these differences are attributable, at least in part, to policy divergence in the three countries since devolution in 1999. These variations, therefore, have implications for assessments of the impacts of devolution and public service reform strategies