•The British economy has been performing well for the last decade, but there is an annual productivity gap of £30 billion between the English average and that of the industrial North (ONS, cited in Northern Way, 2007).•A recent government review has stated that the UK’s skills base...

This report summarises presentations and discussion at a seminar, organised by LSE Housingand CASE, which took place at the London School of Economics on 7th July 1998. The eventwas chaired by Professor Howard Glennerster (LSE and Chairman of STICERD), and thespeakers were Professor William...