P2 changing UK economy

Question 1

describe the changes to each sector in the UK

Answer 1

• primary sector (agriculture, mining and fisheries) declined mainly due to the increases use of machinery
• since 1960’s the manufacturing sector declined dramatically, also due to increased mechanism and competition from abroad
• the service sector increased dramatically due to the expansion in public services and growth of financial services
• since the 1980’s the new knowledge based ( research and development) sector has become important

Question 2

what are the3 main causes for economic change in the UK

Answer 2

• deindustrialisation
• agriculture
• government policies

Question 3

what is deindustrialisation and what is its impact on the UK

Answer 3

• one of the most significant economic processes to be taken place in the UK
• involved the decline of the UKs traditional heavy industries due to competition from abroad making these industries uncompetitive
• these industries were often based close to raw materials (coal, iron and steel)
• they depended heavily on manufacturing for example tata steel in port Talbort (Wales) has decreased from 18,000 to 3,300 jobs due to cheap Chinese steel imports

Question 4

what is globalisation and what is its impact on the UK

Answer 4

• the increasing interconnections and interdependence between nations, due to factors like trade agreements and faster transportation
• the global economic landscape has been transformed by the growth of TNCs and rapid economic growth experienced in Asia
• the UKs place within its landscape has changed to focus partially on the service sector (finance, media and education) and the rapid developing quaternary sector (research)

Question 5

how have government policies addressed economic change between 1945-1979

Answer 5

• the government created state run industries (E.G British steel cooperation) to support the UKs declining heavy industries and protect jobs
• outdated machinery and working practices led to factory closures, unemployment and considerable unrest during the 1970s

Question 6

how have government policies addressed economic change between 1979-2010

Answer 6

• state run industries were privatised, many heavy industries closed down and jobs were lost
• government and private sector investment resulted in a transformation of many former industrial areas (e.g London docklands) into financial centres (e.g canary wharf), offices and retail parks as the service sector started to grow rapidly

Question 7

how have government policies addressed economic change since 2010 onwards

Answer 7

• the government has sought to rebalance the economy by encouraging investment in the high tech manufacturing sector, for example aerospace and computer engineering
• it has invested in transport infrastructure such as London’s Crossrail and the development of high speed rail connections ( HS2) with the ‘northern powerhouse’
• loans and other financial incentives are available to encourage small businesses to set up in the UK

Question 8

how have government policies addressed economic change in 2016 onwards

Answer 8

• the UK voted in referendum to leave to EU
• the UK formally left the EU on the 31 January 2020 and entered a ‘transition period’ ( during which time nothing changed) which ended on 31 December 2020
• a free trade agreement has been reached with the EU

Question 9

what caused the uk to move towards a post-industrial economy

Answer 9

• the decline of the heavy industrial sector in the 1970s

Question 10

how has information technology affected peoples lives and economic development

Answer 10

• computers can store and process vast amounts of information very quickly
• mobile devises such as smartphones enable information to be accessed almost anywhere
• the UK is recognised as one of the top IT countries ITW, attracting business investment from foreign companies
• the internet and use of computers allows people to work from home
• in the UK over 1.3 million people work in the IT sector
• developments in the technology have stimulated the growth of specialist manufacturing industries as well as service and research
• communications using satellite and the internet promote the flow of information

Question 11

what affect have service industries had on the economy

Answer 11

• service industries provide support rather than manufacturing products
• service is by far the largest industry in the UK, in both terms of employment and economic output
• finance, including banking, insurance and fund management, is one of the major growth areas
• finance sector employs over 2 million people and contributes about 10% of the the UKs gross GDP
• UK is recognised as the worlds leading centre for financial management with the city of London at its core

Question 12

what effects have developments in research had on the economy

Answer 12

• research and development is part of the UKs rapidly growing quaternary sector
• it employs over 60,000 highly educated people and contributes £3 billion to the UK economy
• much research is linked to UK universities such as Oxford and Cambridge and involves the biomedical, computer, environmental and aerospace sectors
• research is conducted by both government bodies ( national health service or ministry of defence, environment agency) and private organisations such as pharmaceutical companies

Question 13

what effect have science parks had on the economy

Answer 13

• they employ recent graduates to apply academic knowledge to business innovation
• many businesses benefit from collaboration and share facilities
• science parks are generally located on the edge of university cities such as Southampton, oxford and Cambridge benefitting from good transport links and often enjoying attractive working environments
• there are over 100 science parks in the UK employing over 75,000 people
  e.g Cambridge science park is located 3km from Cambridge city centre -> has access to the A14 (to the midlands) and M11 (to London) -> Abcam is a biomedical company that is worth over £1 billion and employs over 200 qualified graduates

Question 14

what effect have business parks had on the economy

Answer 14

• usually involve a small group of businesses on a single plot of land
• there are hundreds of business parks in the UK, usually located on the edges of towns and cities where land is relatively cheap and there are good road communications
• they can involve retail and small scale manufacturing, as well as research and development
• in supplying goods and services they often benefit from close association with each other ( e.g printing company providing print materials for other companies in the business park)

Question 15

what were the impacts of industrial growth on the physical environment in the past

Answer 15

• waste materials are often toxic, polluting the land and water supplies
• gas and soot emissions from burning coal polluted the air, resulting in smog’s mostly in London in the 1950’s
• landscapes in coal mining areas became transformed by ugly spoil heaps

Question 16

in the past what were the effects of quarrying on the environment

Answer 16

• natural habitats were damaged or destroyed
• landscapes were destroyed, often leaving ugly scars when quarries were abandoned
• water sources were polluted, particularly if toxic chemicals were used
• there was extensive noise pollution and damage caused by huge lorries which transported the quarry stone
• exhaust emissions caused atmospheric pollution

Question 17

what are the strict controls on quarrying now

Answer 17

• strict regulations on blasting, removal of dust from roads and landscaping
• all quarries have to be restored after use, minimising long term environmental damage

Question 18

describe Torr quarry in somersets location and economic attributes

Answer 18

• a limestone quarry in the Mendip hills, south of Bristol
• employs over 100 people and contributes around £15 million to the economy each year
• limestone chippings produced at the quarry are mostly used in the construction industry

Question 19

describe how Torr quarry in summerset is environmentally sustainable

Answer 19

• chippings are transported by rail rather than road to minimise the environmental impact
• there is regular monitoring of water quality, airborne emissions and noise
• some 80 hectares of the site have already been restored, with grass and trees
• future restoration will include the creation of lakes for wildlife and recreation

Question 20

what are the potential negatives for Torr quarry in summerset

Answer 20

• low paid jobs
• produces 3 million tonnes per Anum less than in 1940 -> declining production
• occupies 2.5 km
• noise, vibration and airborne particles

Question 21

what are the outer Hebrides

Answer 21

• a remote group of islands off the far northwest coast of Scotland
• these islands have experienced 50% decline in population since 1901 as (mainly young) people have moved to the mainland in search of better paid jobs
• current population is 27,000, most of whom live of the island of Lewis

Question 22

what are the social changes of the outer Hebrides

Answer 22

• the out migration of young people has resulted in an increasingly ageing population
• an ageing population will require increasing amounts of care, which will have social and economic impacts
• fewer people of working age in the area could result in further decline of fishing and farming
• fewer children could result in school closures
• lack of internet connection and wifi results in less people working from home and migrating out to find employment

Question 23

what are the economic changes in the outer Hebrides

Answer 23

• maintaining ferries and other services is costly- some post offices have had to shut down
• traditional fishing for prawns and lobsters has declined, with just few boats left
• shellfish production has increased, mostly involving foreign boats
• tourism has become an important economic activity but the infrastructure is struggling to cope with the number of visitors

Question 24

describe south Cambridgeshire’s location and population

Answer 24

• one of the fastest growing cities in the UK
• the rural area of south Cambridgeshire surrounds the city
• current population of 154,000, expected to rise to 182,000 by 2026 as people move to the countryside, and migrants from other areas move into the city

Question 25

what are the social changes in south Cambridgeshire

Answer 25

• rising house prices ( reflecting increasing demand) and modern developments in villages can cause tensions with locals
• if a village has a high proportion of commuters it can become very dead during the day and lose its sense of community and identity
• car-owning commuters do not need public transport and services may be reduced, affecting locals
• there may be a resentment towards migrants in the community

Question 26

what are the economic changes in south Cambridgeshire

Answer 26

• lack of affordable housing for local people
• some shops may be forced to close if commuters do not use their local village shops, other may thrive if they offer services at the weekends and the evenings
• sale of agricultural land can reduce farm employment, which may lead to some local unemployment
• fuel prices- and shop prices - tend to be higher than elsewhere in the area due to high demand
• the influx of poor migrants can put economic pressures on social services

Question 27

how are roads being developed

Answer 27

• in 2014 the government launched a £15 billion ‘road improvement strategy’
• many stretches of busy motorway are being converted to ‘smart motorways’ enabling traffic flow to be controlled
• in 2020 highways England published plans to spend £27.4 billion on major new road developments, including a tunnel under Stonehenge and a new lower Thames crossing
• over 1600 km of new lanes will be added to busy motorways and major roads such as the heavily congested A303 in southwest England

Question 28

how is the rail network being developed

Answer 28

• government is keen to develop the UKs railways to ease congestion and help stimulate economic growth
• London’s Crossrail, due for completion in 2024 -> £16.8 billion project involving 32km of new lines bored beneath central London, it will improve east - west connections
• electrification of the Trans-Pennine Railway due for completion in 2024 which improves connections between Manchester and York
• HS2, a £98 billion project involves constructing a high speed rail line between Birmingham and onwards to Manchester, Leads and Sheffield, due for completion in 2040

Question 29

what do supporters say about high speed 2 (HS2)

Answer 29

• it will create thousands of jobs in the midlands and northern England
• will help generate £40 billion for the UK economy
• increase the number of rail passengers and make transport more sustainable
• reduces the number of people who fly between UK cities
• will be carbon neutral because it will reduce journeys that use other transport

Question 30

what do objectors say about high speed 2 (HS2)

Answer 30

• more likely to create jobs in London and people will commute there instead
• cost of HS2 is £98 billion and its hard to say what it will generate
• existing rail routes could be improved to increase the number of passengers
• the number of people flying within the UK is falling already
• people don’t want to travel any faster, intercity routes are already fast
• increase carbon emissions because high speed trains use more power

Question 31

what have been the developments in ports

Answer 31

• UK has always been a trading nation, importing and exporting goods through its many thriving ports such as London, Liverpool, Grimsby and Southampton
• the UKs port industry is the largest in Europe, employing 120,000 people and handling over 40 million passengers a year

Question 32

what have been the developments in airports

Answer 32

• account for 3.6% of the UKs GDP and are extremally important to the UKs economic development, providing thousands of jobs and boosting local economy’s
• over 2 million tonnes of freight pass through the UKs airports each year and 750,000flights depart from the UK
• handles close to 200 million passengers a year

Question 33

what is the Heathrow expansion

Answer 33

• Heathrow is the largest airport in the UK and one of the worlds major hub airports
• in 2016 the government released a plan to add a 3rd runway at Heathrow to ease congestion
• the highly controversial decision will have considerable impacts on local communities, including the demolition of properties in nearby villages -> however creates thousands of jobs
• expected to cost £18.6 billion and will be one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in the UK
• will be strict environmental requirements to reduce harmful emissions
• to reduce disruption to the M25 it may be constructed on a ramp over the motorway

Question 34

what is the north - south divide

Answer 34

• people in the south tend to have higher incomes, longer life expectancy and a generally higher standard of living
• high demand for housing in the south means that house prices are higher than in the north
• in the north, unemployment rates are higher than in the south as areas continue to adjust to deindustrialisation
• there are exceptions as there are some of the poorest boroughs in London and pockets of rich in the north

Question 35

what has caused the north - south divide

Answer 35

• main cause is deindustrialisation, as traditional manufacturing industries, often based on raw materials like coal were largely based in the north as well as south Wales
• as the northern economy declined the southern economy grew rapidly in response to the growth of the service sector and dominance of London
• this growth boosted annual incomes and increased the value of property

Question 36

what regional schemes are being used to address the issue of the north-south divide

Answer 36

• the regional growth fund supports projects in England that use private sector investment to create jobs
• the regional selective assistance encourages investment projects in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and islands
• the Welsh government business finance offers financial support to businesses and funds capital investment, job creation and research throughout Wales
• selective financial assistance provides support for investment in northern Ireland

Question 37

name 3 other strategies being used to address the issue of the north-south divide

Answer 37

• government incentive packages (reduced taxes or site development) have been used to attract TNCs to locate manufacturing plants such as Mitsubishi near Edinburgh
• planned transport improvements such as HS2, rail electrification and port developments
• in 2015 the UK government launched the ‘northern powerhouse’ concept encouraging industrial and infrastructural developments in northern England

Question 38

what is the UKs place in the wider world

Answer 38

• at its peak the British empire covered about a third of the worlds land area, with colonies in Africa, the Asian pacific and the Americas
• in the 20th century many former colonial countries gained independence and the UK became a member of the common wealth
• today the UK continues to have political, economic and cultural influence within organisations such as NATO
• it remains one of the worlds major economies and is a global transport and financial centre

Question 39

what are the 4 links that the UK has with the wider world

Answer 39

• trade
• culture
• transport
• electronic communications

Question 40

how is trade one of the UKs links with the wider world

Answer 40

• the UK trades with many countries by air, sea or road and rail
• the UKs main trading partners are the EU ( particularly Germany and France) the USA and China.
• Germany is the main source for imports and the USA is the main destination for exports
• the internet is increasingly important in the financial and creative sectors
• post Brexit the UK has developed stronger links with the USA

Question 41

how is culture one of the UKs links with the wider world

Answer 41

• cultural links include art, fashion, music, television and film
• television is one of the UKs major creative industries, worth over £1.25 billion each year with programs such as Dr who and Downton Abbey
• fashion, music and films are important exports, especially to the English speaking world
• migrants to the UK have introduced there own cultural characteristics (foods, fashion, films and festivals)

Question 42

how is transport one of the UKs links with the wider world

Answer 42

• the UKs long trading heritage has resulted in the development of Major ports and airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick
• there are links to mainland Europe via the Channel tunnel, with fast rail services via the Eurostar and HS1
• ferries and cruise ships transport people to Europe and the rest of the world from ports such as Southampton and Dover

Question 43

how is electronic communications one of the UKs links with the wider world

Answer 43

• the internet is an increasingly important aspect of global communications- by 2018 almost 50% of the world population had access to the internet (93% in the UK)
• the UK is an important hub for the global network submarine cables linking Europe with the USA
• submarine cables are responsible for transmitting 99% of all internet traffic
• the ‘arctic fibre’ project involves 15,000 km of cables linking London with Tokyo, the first phase of 3 was completed in 2017

Question 44

what are the UKs political and economic links with the EU

Answer 44

• the UK joined the EU in 1973, today the EU comprises of 27 countries
• it is one of the worlds major trading blocs and exerts considerable political and economic influence
• the UK left the EU in January 2020 and entered a transition period where nothing happened, this ended in December 2020
• a free trade agreement has been reached with the EU

Question 45

in the past what were the EUs effects on the UK

Answer 45

• goods, services, capital and labour were able to move freely between countries -> the free trade agreement allows for some of this however there will no longer be freedom of labour movement into or out of the UK
• European funds, such as the European structural fund which supported regional development, brought huge benefits to the UK, these funds are no longer available
• the single payment scheme supported farmers and benefitted the environment. in 2015 £18 million was used to support UK dairy farmers , the UK government has promised to continue to support farmers, replacing the EUs payments

Question 46

what are the UKs political and economic links with the commonwealth

Answer 46

• the UK maintains strong connections with its former colonies through the commonwealth, a voluntary organisation comprising of 50 countries
• the aims of the common wealth are to provide support to individual countries and encourage co-operation between countries
• the heads of each country meet every 2 years to discuss issues of concern and work together to promote sustainable development
• many people of British decent now live in commonwealth countries such as Canada or New Zealand
• people have also migrated from commonwealth countries to the UK, this movement has established strong cultural links and encouraged trade and business links
• important cultural and sporting links between commonwealth countries is the commonwealth games