Assessing the state of play of women’s football
Women’s football has been experiencing fast and sustained growth and is rapidly increasing in popularity around the world, both in terms of participation and viewership. The evidence suggests that this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. The second report in the Play Forward series… Read More
Podcasts
How can greater gender diversity improve business performance?
Why should businesses support gender diversity? Oxera and Business in the Community (BITC) have worked together to research the business case for gender equity and diversity. Their findings reveal that companies with higher diversity report increased sales revenue, expanded customer base, and greater profit margins than their competitors. These organisations… Read More
Switching tracks: the regulatory implications of Great British Railways—part 2
In this two-part series, we delve into the regulatory implications of rail reform. This reform will bring significant changes to the industry’s structure, including the nationalisation of private passenger train operations and the creation of Great British Railways (GBR)—a vertically integrated body that will manage both track and operations for… Read More
Cost–benefit analyses for public policy
Cost–benefit analyses (CBA) are commonly applied to public infrastructure projects where there is a degree of certainty about the physical output of the project and the consequent societal benefits. CBA can also be applied to proposed policy and regulatory changes, but there is less clarity about the outcomes and the… Read More
Switching tracks: the regulatory implications of Great British Railways—part 1
The Labour government’s plan to nationalise private passenger train operators and introduce Great British Railways (GBR) marks a significant shift in the management of the rail network in Great Britain. The stated aim of reform is ‘to deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality, and efficient services;… Read More
Prevention instead of reaction: creating a robust funding structure for the NHS
1 Executive summary The NHS is at a critical juncture, facing unprecedented pressures from an ageing population, rising health inequalities, and underinvestment in infrastructure. The Darzi Report underscores the scale of these challenges, highlighting the need for systemic reforms to enhance resilience and productivity. In response to the Change… Read More
This week in economics
Delving into recent news through the lens of economics, this first episode of This week in economics tackles what’s caused the recent exodus from X and what the impacts for the social media market could be, and explores the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs for the global… Read More
The Draghi Report: How to deliver Europe’s innovation imperative?
How can Europe become more innovative to succeed in an increasingly competitive and uncertain global environment? The recent report by Mario Draghi on the future of European competitiveness is a sobering read that highlights the low growth and productivity performance of the EU over the last two decades and proposes… Read More
Road pricing for electric vehicles: bridging the fuel duty shortfall
Governments generate significant revenue from taxes on petrol and diesel, which has been essential in financing and maintaining infrastructure. These taxes are also intended to incorporate the externalities of driving, such as congestion, noise, accidents, pollution and road wear. If these costs were borne by society instead of by drivers… Read More
Article 102 Reform
In August 2024, the European Commission published draft guidelines for consultation on exclusionary abuse under Article 102. The guidelines aim to reflect latest developments in jurisprudence and increase legal certainty. Oxera responded to the consultation which closed on 31 October 2024. The response highlights areas where improvements could be made… Read More