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What have experiences of other countries and regions been?
5.7 It is helpful to use international comparisons as part of the wider evidence base.
This can contribute very positively to the policy-making process, in particular helping to guide policy-makers to new solutions to problems and new
mechanisms for implementing policy and improving public service delivery. It can also provide useful evidence of what works in practice and what does not work.
It is of course important to take account of social, economic and institutional differences which may require adjustment to policy solutions that work elsewhere
to meet Northern Ireland circumstances.
5.8 It is not always necessary to look very far afield for policy comparisons as, for
example, other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland can provide some good examples. Other useful places to look for relevant policy comparisons include the
Australian states, Canadian provinces and New Zealand, which are interesting from a Northern Ireland perspective because they have long experience of
operating in a similar institutional framework. For example, the development of the Strategic Investment Board established as part of the Reinvestment and
Reform Initiative has been influenced by the existence of a similar organisation in Ontario.
5.9 There is a range of factors which can be helpful in identifying possible countries
or regions elsewhere from which to learn: for example, regions which have successfully addressed similar social or economic issues, or which have
geographical similarities to Northern Ireland. Regional Trends, published by the Office for National Statistics, includes tables of key indicators across a range of
policy areas comparing all the regions in the European Union, which may help in identifying appropriate comparator regions.
5.10 It is important in many areas of public service to understand the importance of
factors such as settlement patterns and population density in determining what types of provision are appropriate and where we might learn lessons from
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elsewhere. For example, Northern Ireland is sparsely populated by comparison with England, but its population density is around the European average and
approximately twice that in the Republic of Ireland or in Scotland. Parts of Europe with broadly similar population densities to Northern Ireland include
Wales, Denmark, parts of France and Germany and North West Spain. Identifying appropriate comparators will, however, depend on your own
policy area.
5.11 When looking at international comparators, it is important to do so objectively.
Officially published material tells the story which the promoters of a policy or project wish to tell publicly. It is important to explore beyond that: to find out
what criticisms are made as well as ways in which arrangements are successful; to find out the views of service users as well as providers; to find out the extent
to which a policy has actually achieved its intended outcome and whether there have been any unintended or unforeseen drawbacks or benefits; and to explore
potentially crucial differences in context which might mean that a policy which was successful elsewhere would not work in Northern Ireland. Face-to-face
contact will reveal more than looking at a website alone, but given the costs associated with study visits, it is essential to do adequate research in advance
to be sure that a comparator is really relevant.
Benchmarking
5.12 International and inter-regional comparisons are also important for benchmarking
Northern Irelands performance against that of other regions. Regional Trends provides statistical comparisons among the regions of the UK of a wide range
of indicators across most policy areas. It also includes tables of key indicators comparing all the regions in the European Union.
5.13 However, caution must be used in making comparisons: for example, Northern
