NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Covid Impact - ✔✔Furlough Scheme - 14bn a month
Grants for small grants - 15bn a month
Support for self-employed - 10bn a month
OBR - estimate around £100bn a year from furlough. Could be higher.
Context, the 2007-2009 economic crash resulted in Bank bailouts of £133bn. This was
well surpassed by the governments underwriting of banks to the - £1trillion
✔✔Welfare Reform - ✔✔Contributory benefits (These are benefits that a contribution is
made to in order to receive them. For example, paying national insurance contributions
to receive the basic state pension.) and Non-contributory benefits (Those that do not
require a contribution to have been paid first. Examples include Child Benefits and
Disability Living Allowance.)
Universal provision (those which everyone is entitled to no matter their income.The
National Health Service (NHS) is a universal benefit.)
Means tested provision (those which are provided based on an individual benefit based
on earnings and savings. Examples include Housing Benefit and Income Support.)
Repeated cuts to Working Tax Credits & proposal of a 'two-child policy' for entitlement
to Child Tax Credits
Introduction of Universal Credit (UC) to streamline benefits system for working-age
claimants
UC - mean-tested benefit - controversial
✔✔The EU - ✔✔An unique economic and political partnership of 27 nations. The origins
of the EU are in the aftermath of the second world war. to reduce the amount of
competition between both countries and increase the amount of co-operation. The
nations of the EU created institutions that were designed to pool sovereignty in key
areas, share it in others and leave other areas to the nation states. Areas pooled to EU
institutions include agriculture, fisheries, competition and international trade amongst
others. Areas shared between national governments and the EU institutions include the
environment, social policy and transport. Areas guarded by national governments
include defense, foreign affairs, education, health, welfare and taxation.
✔✔EU Referendum - ✔✔In the summer of 2016 the UK voted narrowly to leave the EU
by around 52% to 48%. The leave side argued they wanted to 'take back control' which
appealed to those unhappy about sharing sovereignty. This can be considered by
examining the differences across the UK in the EU referendum vote. Scotland voted to
remain. Every one of the 32 council areas in Scotland voted remain.
✔✔The Single Market - ✔✔The single market is based on four key pillars. The free
movement of goods, the free movement of services, the free movement of capital and
the free movement of Labour. The first three were accepted by the UK government after
the referendum in 2016 but the free movement of Labour was rejected. However, for the
EU to be in the single market meant accepting all four.
, ✔✔The Irish Border - ✔✔The Irish border is the only land border which exists between
the EU and UK. Under the protocol of protecting the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal it
was agreed that Northern Ireland would continue to follow EU rules on product
standards to prevent checks along the border. Checks would instead take place on
goods entering Northern Ireland from England, Scotland or Wales. Inspections take
place at Northern Ireland ports, and this has prompted criticism that a new border has
effectively been created in the Irish Sea.
✔✔Role of European Court - ✔✔The Brexiteers certainly want to avoid the European
court having any role whatsoever which is complicated as any agreement between the
UK and EU would need both sides to monitor and referee the agreement. This would
involve the European Court at some level.
✔✔Brexit Deal - ✔✔Advantages - Access to biggest EU nearby market
Maintenance of Standards
Avoided a no-deal outcome
Disadvantages - Northern Ireland protocol, further negotiations
Are all of the deals workable longer term?
✔✔Brexit Trade - ✔✔The UK had negotiated deals through the EU from 1973
The EU had 40 trade deals covering 70 countries at the time the UK left.
The UK now has trade deals with 63 of those countries - some of the deals are roll-over
deals (same terms as with the EU).
Trade deals can take years to negotiate.
The UK aim is a comprehensive US trade deal.
✔✔Devolution - ✔✔The transfer or delegation of powers to a lower level, especially by a
central government to local or regional administration
✔✔Scottish Parliament - ✔✔129 Members of Scottish Parliament
SNP governs with 63 MSPs
Leader of SNP = Nicola Sturgeon
✔✔Devolved tax powers - ✔✔The Smith Commission granted Scotland extra powers
over income tax and a proportion of VAT, some areas of welfare and a few other minor
areas as well. This resulted in the Scottish parliament controlling around 50 per cent of
the tax raised in Scotland and 15-20% of the welfare spend too.
✔✔The Additional Member System (AMS) - ✔✔73 First-Past-the-Post constituency
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and 56 elected from regional lists. Voters
are given two votes. One in which they vote for their individual MSP by putting a cross
next to their preferred candidate and another vote where they choose from a list of
political parties. For this second vote Scotland is divided into 8 regions which each
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Covid Impact - ✔✔Furlough Scheme - 14bn a month
Grants for small grants - 15bn a month
Support for self-employed - 10bn a month
OBR - estimate around £100bn a year from furlough. Could be higher.
Context, the 2007-2009 economic crash resulted in Bank bailouts of £133bn. This was
well surpassed by the governments underwriting of banks to the - £1trillion
✔✔Welfare Reform - ✔✔Contributory benefits (These are benefits that a contribution is
made to in order to receive them. For example, paying national insurance contributions
to receive the basic state pension.) and Non-contributory benefits (Those that do not
require a contribution to have been paid first. Examples include Child Benefits and
Disability Living Allowance.)
Universal provision (those which everyone is entitled to no matter their income.The
National Health Service (NHS) is a universal benefit.)
Means tested provision (those which are provided based on an individual benefit based
on earnings and savings. Examples include Housing Benefit and Income Support.)
Repeated cuts to Working Tax Credits & proposal of a 'two-child policy' for entitlement
to Child Tax Credits
Introduction of Universal Credit (UC) to streamline benefits system for working-age
claimants
UC - mean-tested benefit - controversial
✔✔The EU - ✔✔An unique economic and political partnership of 27 nations. The origins
of the EU are in the aftermath of the second world war. to reduce the amount of
competition between both countries and increase the amount of co-operation. The
nations of the EU created institutions that were designed to pool sovereignty in key
areas, share it in others and leave other areas to the nation states. Areas pooled to EU
institutions include agriculture, fisheries, competition and international trade amongst
others. Areas shared between national governments and the EU institutions include the
environment, social policy and transport. Areas guarded by national governments
include defense, foreign affairs, education, health, welfare and taxation.
✔✔EU Referendum - ✔✔In the summer of 2016 the UK voted narrowly to leave the EU
by around 52% to 48%. The leave side argued they wanted to 'take back control' which
appealed to those unhappy about sharing sovereignty. This can be considered by
examining the differences across the UK in the EU referendum vote. Scotland voted to
remain. Every one of the 32 council areas in Scotland voted remain.
✔✔The Single Market - ✔✔The single market is based on four key pillars. The free
movement of goods, the free movement of services, the free movement of capital and
the free movement of Labour. The first three were accepted by the UK government after
the referendum in 2016 but the free movement of Labour was rejected. However, for the
EU to be in the single market meant accepting all four.
, ✔✔The Irish Border - ✔✔The Irish border is the only land border which exists between
the EU and UK. Under the protocol of protecting the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal it
was agreed that Northern Ireland would continue to follow EU rules on product
standards to prevent checks along the border. Checks would instead take place on
goods entering Northern Ireland from England, Scotland or Wales. Inspections take
place at Northern Ireland ports, and this has prompted criticism that a new border has
effectively been created in the Irish Sea.
✔✔Role of European Court - ✔✔The Brexiteers certainly want to avoid the European
court having any role whatsoever which is complicated as any agreement between the
UK and EU would need both sides to monitor and referee the agreement. This would
involve the European Court at some level.
✔✔Brexit Deal - ✔✔Advantages - Access to biggest EU nearby market
Maintenance of Standards
Avoided a no-deal outcome
Disadvantages - Northern Ireland protocol, further negotiations
Are all of the deals workable longer term?
✔✔Brexit Trade - ✔✔The UK had negotiated deals through the EU from 1973
The EU had 40 trade deals covering 70 countries at the time the UK left.
The UK now has trade deals with 63 of those countries - some of the deals are roll-over
deals (same terms as with the EU).
Trade deals can take years to negotiate.
The UK aim is a comprehensive US trade deal.
✔✔Devolution - ✔✔The transfer or delegation of powers to a lower level, especially by a
central government to local or regional administration
✔✔Scottish Parliament - ✔✔129 Members of Scottish Parliament
SNP governs with 63 MSPs
Leader of SNP = Nicola Sturgeon
✔✔Devolved tax powers - ✔✔The Smith Commission granted Scotland extra powers
over income tax and a proportion of VAT, some areas of welfare and a few other minor
areas as well. This resulted in the Scottish parliament controlling around 50 per cent of
the tax raised in Scotland and 15-20% of the welfare spend too.
✔✔The Additional Member System (AMS) - ✔✔73 First-Past-the-Post constituency
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and 56 elected from regional lists. Voters
are given two votes. One in which they vote for their individual MSP by putting a cross
next to their preferred candidate and another vote where they choose from a list of
political parties. For this second vote Scotland is divided into 8 regions which each
