The Dynamics of Policy-Making under UK Devolution: Social Housing in Northern Ireland

Housing policy formation under the United Kingdom’s devolution settlement is
currently under-researched and insufficiently understood. This article uses the example of social
housing policy-making in Northern Ireland to reflect on its impact. Five factors with the potential to
influence post-devolution policy-making are identified: common UK citizenship and ideology, policy
networks, the political process, the mechanics of devolution and membership of the European Union.
A post-devolution review of social housing policy in Northern Ireland is followed by a discussion of
three key issues from the 2007 to 2011 administration: governance, procurement of new social
housing, and ‘shared space’ and a shared future. Interviews with policy-makers indicate that 2007–
2011 marked the beginnings of a trend away from the technocratic domination of officials towards
greater intervention and policy ownership by politicians, but that the significance of this should not
be overstated. The implications for multi-level and multi-jurisdictional policy-making in devolved
and federal states are considered.