Blair's Domestic Policy

Question 1

Description of the Devolution of the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments 1998

Answer 1

• Referendum held in 1997 + approved of devolution in Scotland and Wales creating a Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly
• Welsh powers were extended in 2000

Question 2

Consequences of the Devolution of the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments 1998

Answer 2

• Aim was to lessen nationalist support in Scotland and Wales
• Scottish nationalist party continued to grow support

Question 3

Description of Devolution to regional governments

Answer 3

• A major of London was introduced in 2000
• Referendum to introduce regional gov into North East of England was rejected in 2004

Question 4

Consequences of Devolution to regional governments

Answer 4

• Blair back Ron Livingstone standing in Labour candidate in the 2001 mayoral election as he was concerned it would receive the memory of Left wing councils
• Livingstone stood as an independent candidate and won

Question 5

Description of the House of Lords Act 1999

Answer 5

• Raised the problems of the government
• Ended the right of unelected hereditary peers to sit in the upper house - intended to strike a blow for democracy

Question 6

What were the Consequences of the House of Lords Act 1999?

Answer 6

• Critics complained it was part of Blair’s scheme for consolidating new Labour’s authority by packing the House of Lords with his own appointeer (new peers)
• Some of his own peers were unhappy at this

Question 7

Description of the Human Rights Act 1998

Answer 7

• Intended to achieve a better balance between the rights and responsibility between the power of the state and the freedom of the individual.
• So to oblige local authorities to be more attentive to the rights of the people

Question 8

What were the consequences of the Human Rights Act 1998

Answer 8

• Caused some controversy as some lawyers said that it was the UK putting itself under the pre-existing European convention of human rights
• However, Lord Chancellor declared that British Sovereignty was not an issue since the act gave further effect in UK to convention rights.

Question 9

Description of The Freedom of Information Act 2000

Answer 9

• Passed in 2000 came into force in 2005
• The Act required local authorities to grant right of access to the information they held

Question 10

What were the consequences of The Freedom of Information Act 2000

Answer 10

• Liberation’s complained that public bodies were still not fully accountable as they technically could avoid full disclosure.