NCTJ Public Affairs

Financing local government

Revenue expenditure and how it's financed

Types of revenue grant

The evolution of council tax

Arguments for and against property-based tax

Arguments for and against people-based tax

Main sources of capital finance available to local authorities

Constitution

Components of the British Constitution

Key constitutional offices of the monarch

Actual prerogative powers (those exercised by the monarch)

Notional prerogative powers (those deferred to government)

Monarchy funding

The House of Commons

The role of MPs in relation to constituents

The role of MPs in relation to parliament

Party loyalty and the Whip system

The House of Lords

Who sits in the Lords?

Who are they?

Role of the House of Lords

Lords Speaker - Baroness D'Souza

More politicians?

Types of legislation

Role of the Commons Speaker

Local government decision making

Councillors' allowances and expenses

The role of local government officers - experts

The types of decision-making

Two types of executive management introduced by the Local Government Act 2000

Non-executive committees

Scrutiny committees

Types and levels of council decision

Local Education Authorities (LEAs)

School governors

Academy schools

Community schools

Free schools

The European Union

The main EU institutions

The Euorpean Commission

The European Parliament

The Council of Ministers

Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)

The European Court of Justice (ECJ)

European Council

Evolution of the Euro

The eurozone debt crisis

Separation of powers

Rule of law

Parliamentary sovereignty

Collective and ministerial responsibility

Listed buildings

Conservation areas

The NHS

How the NHS is funded

Restructuring of the NHS

Further restructuring of the NHS

Other recent controversies in the NHS

Complaints

The CQC

NHS Foundation Trusts

Further issues within the NHS

Devolution and Scottish independence

Major devolved powers of Scotland

Non-devolved powers in Scotland

What Scottish nationalists want

Arguments in favour of independence

Arguments against independence

The economy

The public sector

The private sector

Inflation

Deflation

Recession

Growth

The deficit

How did the banking crisis happen?

The banking crisis

GDP and GNP

Balance of Payments and Balance of Trade

Budget and The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR)

Direct and Indirect taxes

Role of the treasury

Bank of England

Types of company

Contacts for business stories

Welfare services today

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Jobseeker's Allowance

Income Support

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

Universal Credit - the Coalition's welfare reform programme

Other benefits