Skip to content

Course home

3.8 Limitations of markets

3.8 Limitations of markets

EasyMediumHard
1234567891011
Question 4

Extract 1: CleanHeat programme Domestic wood-burning stoves create local smoke pollution. The government proposes an emissions tax on polluting fuel and a subsidy for low-emission heating systems.

Policy informationAmount
Tax on polluting fuel18p per unit
Subsidy on low-emission system£700
Households near pollution limit240,000
a.

Explain why smoke from stoves can be a negative externality.

[2]
b.

State two government policies other than taxation that can address externalities.

[2]
c.

Analyse how the £700 subsidy may increase consumption of low-emission heating.

[6]
d.i.

State two possible benefits of reducing smoke pollution.

[2]
d.ii.

Explain one opportunity cost of the subsidy.

[2]
d.iii.

Evaluate whether the tax is likely to be more effective than the subsidy.

[6]
Markscheme

3.8 Limitations of markets Questions

  1. GCSE
  2. /Economics
  3. /3.8 Limitations of markets

31 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Economics 3.8 Limitations of markets, covering 3.8.1 Positive and negative externalities, 3.8.2 Policies to correct externalities, 3.8.3 Impact of externality policies, and 3.8.4 Costs and benefits of externality policies. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

Question bank