Christine Frayne

We study the prices of basic commodities that are relatively homogeneous in some rural communities in Colombia.

This paper looks at the impact of Opportunity Bursaries on young adults who received payments in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

This paper looks at the impact of the Aimhigher:Excellence Challenge programme on pupils who have been exposed to it for one year.

This paper evaluates whether means-tested grants paid to secondary students are an effective way of reducing the proportion of school dropouts.

This Briefing Note assesses the government's management of the public finances since 1997, judged against the rules it set itself to constrain public sector borrowing and debt, and against the performance of other industrial countries over the same period. It then discusses how the public finances might evolve given the tax and spending policies of the three main parties, as well as their proposals to reform the framework in which the public finances are managed.

As in previous general elections, the appropriate size of the state is a key issue. This Briefing Note describes the trends in public spending since Labour came to office in 1997 and compares them with those seen previously in the UK and in other OCED countries.

This Briefing Note examines the evolution of the tax burden over the last 50 years. It then looks at the proposals in the parties' manifestos.