Great Britain Public Policy Vincent Sweet January 13th 2010 1st hour

Economic Performance Economic Rank Great Britain ranked 16th in the world according to the world Bank (2008) Poverty 22% or 13.5 million people are at or below the poverty line. (May 2009) Unemployment 7.6% (May 2009) National Debt 56.8 % of GDP

Social Welfare Education The U.K system of education is devolved U.K government oversees England, Scottish Government, and the Welsh Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 13% of total expenditures go toward education Compulsory Attendance is in effect Sec of State of Children Schools and Family Edward Michael Balls

Social Welfare cont. Health About 59 million people (2001 census) 100% of the population is covered by health care. 7 million have private insurers. Spending for health care has increased by 43 billion Euros in the last five years Secretary of State of Health Andy Burnham

Freedoms in Great Britain (Domestic) Right to Life Freedom of Expression and Conscience Right to Assemble Right to personal privacy No arbitrary search and seizures Right to bodily integrity Right to personal liberty Freedom of Associations Right to participate in government Right to protection of the law Right to Property Economic and Social Rights Gender Recognition

Rights granted by the European Union One is allowed to move freely between member states Provide services in another member state Move capital between member states Move goods between member states without Restriction Equal Treatment and Pay in the workplace Right to vote in any member state Right to petition the European Parliament.

Environment The United Kingdom is the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the EU. 4 billion barrels in 2006 Consumed 1.8 billion gallons per day back in 2005 coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land are natural resources found in the U.K The U.K continues to lower greenhouse gas emission, so far it has met the Kyoto Protocol of 12.5% in 10 years

Population and Migration Roughly 61,400,000 people according to the world bank (2008) Great Britain did not let many immigrants in until 1980’s, as of today the U.K exports more people than imports. Great Britain is not ethnically diverse at all 89.9% of population is White 4.9% of population is Asian 2.3% of population is Black

Economic Development With the recession economic development has come to a crawl, just like the rest of the world But Gordon Brown frequently says on PMQ’s that G.B is doing better than the other countries in the EU. It also seems Gordon Brown has problems passing any legislation to help out the dying economy due to the Conservative Party.