The Architecture of the System of National Accounts: A Three Country Comparison, Canada, Australia, and United Kingdom

This paper summarizes the characteristics of the System of National Accounts as outlined in SNA93. It outlines the elements of infrastructure used to build the accounts and then describes the flow of accounts and supply and use framework used to construct integrated macro economic statistics. Three countries are then compared in the use of this standard; Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Each of the three countries uses the Supply and Use framework (variant of Input Output tables) as the key integrating tool for building the system of accounts and GDP benchmarks are determined using the "production" approach inherent in the Supply and Use framework. In Australia and United Kingdom, the supply and use framework is used to balance and benchmark the flow of accounts up to and including the measures of net lending/borrowing across the institutional sectors of the economy. In Canada the supply and use framework is used to determine the level of GDP but not all of the components of the flow of accounts are benchmarked to it, leaving statistical discrepancies between incomes and final expenditures and net lending/borrowing across sectors. This allows Canada to track the statistical system which provides independent estimates form establishment or kind of activity unit data (industry statistics) and institutional unit (savings and investment decision unit -- enterprise in the case of businesses) data used to build accounts by institutional sector. In particular, it allows coherence and coverage analysis of the data system. In all three countries, the financial accounts and balance sheets are integrated with the flow of accounts. Statistical discrepancies are shown in all countries between net lending/borrowing and net financial investment by institutional sector. None of the three countries publishes regular "other volume changes in assets" accounts although all recognize it as a part of the system which is more and more important to explaining wealth changes. Finally the paper ends with some summary comparisons of the three countries' systems of accounts and recognizes that while they all follow international standards to high degree, differences still exist which may or may not effect international comparability. International coordination is the key to making the standard meet this purpose. The United Kingdom system, as an example of the European system, best meets the standard for international comparison purposes.

Attracting psychologists to learning disability services: starting with assistants

Assistants employed in a split support worker/psychology assistant post rated the experience of working with people with a learning disability positively and as an opportunity to increase knowledge of clinical psychology theory and its direct application to practice. Drawbacks included role ambiguity

Testing An Identification Algorithm for Extragalactic OB Associations Using a Galactic Sample

We have used a Galactic sample of OB stars and associations to test the performance of an automatic grouping algorithm designed to identify extragalactic OB associations. The algorithm identifies the known Galactic OB associations correctly when the search radius (78 pc) is defined by the observed stellar surface density. Galactic OB associations identified with a 78 pc search radius have diameters that are $\sim$3 times larger than OB associations identified with a 22 pc search radius in M33. Applying the smaller search radius to the Galactic data matches both the sizes and the number of member stars between the two galaxies quite well. Thus, we argue that this and similar algorithms should be used with a constant physical search radius, rather than one which varies with the stellar surface density. Such an approach would allow the identification of differences in the giant molecular cloud populations and star formation efficiency under most circumstances.Comment: accepted to AJ; 16 pages, aas latex, 9 postscript figures; available at http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/Wilson_Preprints/index.htm

Building Quality Improvement Systems: Lessons from Three Emerging Efforts in the Youth-Serving Sector

Quality is fast becoming a policy priority in states and localities around the country. As a result, formal and informal networks of youth organizations are seeking and developing strategies to help them assess and improve performance. This report takes a close look at efforts underway in three networks and provides a preliminary framework for thinking about key questions when planning any kind of program quality improvement work in the youth-serving sector

Handedness and behavioural inhibition:left-handed females show most inhibition as measured by BIS/BAS self-report

This study investigated the relationship between handedness, gender and behavioural approach and inhibition using Carver and White’s (1994) BIS/BAS Scale. 112 participants took part: 46 left-handers and 66 right-handers. All participants completed Peters’ (1998) handedness questionnaire followed by the self-report BIS/BAS Scale. Significant effects of both handedness and gender on the BIS scores were found, with left-handers and females scoring significantly higher on inhibition. BIS scores were re-examined to include FFFS scores, which showed a significant effect of gender. Revised BIS scores replicated the original BIS findings. These findings are discussed in relation to handedness research

The Impact of Long-Term Generation Contracts on Valuation of Electricity Generating Assets under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is an effort by nine states to constrain carbon dioxide emissions from the electric power sector using a cap-and-trade program. This paper assesses the importance of long-term electricity contracts under the program. We find that 12.2% of generation will be accounted for by long-term contracts in 2010, affecting select nuclear, hydroelectric, and cogeneration units. The contracts will have a negligible effect on the wholesale marginal cost of electricity and a small effect on retail price. States may want to consider contracts on a case-by-case basis when making decisions about the initial distribution of emission allowances, but they should account for effects on the portfolio of plants owned at the firm level, not the effects on individual facilities. Because of their relatively small effect, it seems unnecessary to allow the existence of long-term contracts to dictate the design of the overall program.climate, state policy, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, long-term contracts, electricity

Greening the national accounts for Scotland

Our main finding is that according to green accounting measures, Scotland's development over much of the past 20 years has not, on the whole, matched up to the standards of sustainability. However, the national picture seems to have improved in the recent past

The postnatal support needs of mothers with an intellectual disability

OBJECTIVE: there is growing evidence that many parents with intellectual disabilities can parent successfully when given adequate support. This paper aims to explore the postnatal care experiences of mothers with an intellectual disability. DESIGN: a qualitative design was used and data were collected using a semi-structured interview format and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. SETTING: the study took place in community settings in Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: six mothers with intellectual disabilities were interviewed about their experiences. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: two super-ordinate themes are discussed with accompanying subthemes: challenges of providing support and how support was delivered. KEY CONCLUSIONS: the mothers valued formal postnatal care, but this was secondary to informal support. How mothers perceived the support impacted on its effectiveness and building effective relationships with professionals presented challenges. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: the study suggests the structure and quality of the wider support networks of mothers with an intellectual disability are central and should be taken account of by professionals. Providing information and advice in ways that validates the mother's role is also important, particularly as the mother's perception of how help is given can impact on the degree to which mothers engage with professional