The comparative studies in this book help provide a ‘baseline’ for analysing the impacts of subsequent differential developments in policy arising out of Scottish devolution. They allow us to address the question of whether Scots behave differently despite similar policy regimes in Scotland and the rest of Britain, or the same, despite some pre-existing differences in policy. The identification of these differences is important for policy formulation by the Scottish Executive: it allows the Executive to identify policy issues that are distinctive to Scotland and helps it to formulate policies aimed at narrowing those differences that represent ‘disadvantage’. We summarise some of the policy questions raised by the findings under each theme.

Families and households

• • What, if any, are the implications of the tendency of parents in Scotland, particularly lone parents, to monitor the behaviour of their adolescent children less than parents in England?

• • What are the implications for policies relating to social welfare, housing and social care of more independent living by Scottish young people and older Scots? What institutions and policies are responsible for this tendency toward more sole person and unrelated person households in Scotland than England?

• • What hinders residential mobility by non-employed Scots?

• • What policy measures best address the greater degree of ‘fuel poverty’ in Scotland?

Inequalities

• • Why do negative life circumstances, such as smoking and unemployment, produce worse health outcomes in Scotland than England, and positive ones better health outcomes? What are the implications for poor health prevention policies?

• • What lessons can we learn from the smaller increase in income inequality in Scotland than England?

• • What are the policy implications of rising income inequality among the Scottish elderly population?

Labour market issues

• • Why is earnings instability greater in Scotland, and does it matter?

• • Does a smaller gender pay gap in Scotland have lessons for elsewhere, or is it just a product of poorer earning opportunities for Scottish men?

• • Why are the returns to further and higher education higher in Scotland, and what are the implications for policy (for example, for the expansion of the further education sector) and future levels of skills and inequality?

• • Why are Scottish older workers more likely to retire, but also more likely to subsequently re-enter work? How can policy help keep a larger proportion of older Scottish workers in employment?