Welfare Reform on the Web (December 2004): Welfare State - UK

"A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY"? SOCIAL POLICY IN SCOTLAND AFTER DEVOLUTION

G. Mooney and L. Poole

Critical Social Policy, Vol. 24, 2004, p.458-483

The article critically examines the theory that Scotland has developed its own distinctive social welfare policy post-Devolution. It examines a range of Scottish policies prior to devolution, before looking at the post-Devolution picture. It argues that scope for policy departure is limited and that although there are institutional and implementation differences that affect the delivery of welfare in Scotland and England, there are also many similarities. It concludes that it is more important to understand the growing contradictions in policy outcomes across the welfare state than to study institutional approaches.