The 2 billion pounds UK regeneration programme, the New Deal for Communities, compares favourably with international comparisons across three continents. The comparison was made by the National Audit Office as part of a review of regeneration approaches in USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands and India. 

As a first move to looking at the impact of variable and top-up fees when they are introduced in 2006, Sir Alan Langlands, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee has been appointed to lead the work. Education Secretary Charles Clarke said last month that he would look carefully at how best to continue attracting high quality recruits to the public sector and the professions. 

By Ian Doig Reproduced by permission of the Public Management and Policy Association. Since devolution was introduced four years ago the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive have had the sole responsibility for running the health service, local government, police, fire, higher and further education, the environment and water. Devolved government has meant divergence from Westminster, including a different approach for securing higher performance from local government. The author looks at the impact of devolution and speculates on the future.