Chapter 4: devolution

Question 1

What is devolution?

Answer 1

The transfer of political power, but not sovereignty, from central gov to subnational gov

Question 2

What are the devolved powers in Scotland?

Answer 2

• Scot:
  + tax (income tax rates and bands e.g. landfill tax)
  + health and social ( health, social services, abortion law)
  + environment (agriculture and fisheries, local gov, transport)
  + education (primary, secondary, uni)
  + laws (justice, police, prisons and elections)

Question 3

What are the devolved powers in Wales?

Answer 3

• Wales:
  + tax (Welsh rate of income tax , landfill tax)
  + health and social (health and social service)
  + enviroment (agriculture and fisheries, local gov, transport)
  + education (primary, secondary, uni)
  + laws (elections)

Question 4

What are the devolved powers in NI?

Answer 4

• NI:
  + tax (corporation tax)
  + (health and social services and some welfare benefits)
  + enviroment (agriculture and fisheries, local gov, transport)
  + education (primary, secondary, uni)
  + laws (justice, police, prisons and electoins)

Question 5

What are the devolved powers in NI?

Answer 5

• NI:
  + tax (corporation tax)
  + (health and social services and some welfare benefits)
  + enviroment (agriculture and fisheries, local gov, transport)
  + education (primary, secondary, uni)
  + laws (justice, police, prisons and elections)

Question 6

What are the reserved powers?

Answer 6

• reserved for Westminster
  + constitution
  + defence and national security
  + nuclear energy
  + broadcasting
  + forgein policy

Question 7

2014 independence referendum

Answer 7

• Fronted by the SNP
• 18th September 2014 - “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
• 55.3% no 44.7% yes (1.6m voters)
• 84.5% turnout

Question 8

Scotland Act 2016

Answer 8

• New devolved powers:
  + power to set income tax rates and bands
  + road signs and speed limit
  + franchise for scottish parliament

Question 9

The good friday agreement

Answer 9

1998
- established power-sharing devolution and required the UK and the Irish gov to amend their constitutions to clarify the status of NI

Question 10

Arguments in favour of an English parliament

Answer 10

• it would complete devolution within the UK, resolve the English question
• it would create a more coherent system of devolution, with federal UK parliament and government responsible for UK wide issues

Question 11

Arguments against the creating of an English parliament

Answer 11

• it would create an additional layer of gov and create tensions between the UK gov and an English parliament and gov
• devolution all around would not create a coherent and equitable system because England is much bigger than the other nations of the Union
• there is only limited support in England for an English parliament 2015 - 20%

Question 12

What is the West Lothian question?

Answer 12

• Why should Scottish MPs be able to vote on English matters at Westminster when English MPs cannot vote on matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament

Question 13

English votes for English Laws (EVEL)

Answer 13

• Cons argued for EVEL since devolution.
• This would introduce special procedures in the HoC for dealing with legislation that only affects England

Question 14

What was the impact of devolution on UK politics?

Answer 14

• post devolution the UK no longer fits the criteria of a highly centralised unitary state, but nor is it a federal state.
• it has become a quasi-federal state

Question 15

What is a quasi-federal state?

Answer 15

• the central government of a unitary state devolves some of its powers to subnational governments.

Question 16

What are the features of a quasi-federal state?

Answer 16

1. limited parliamentary sovereignty
   + Westminster remains sovereign as it can abolish/overrule devolution
   + However, Westminster is no longer sovereign over domestic matters in S,W&NI
2. Quasi-federal parliament
   + Westminster acts as an English parliament as it deals with domestic law in England
   + but a federal government for SW&NI
3. Joint ministerial committee
   + UK ministers and their counterparts from the devolved administrations meet to consider non devolved issues e.g. BREXIT
4. Supreme court
   + UKSC resolves disputes over competence by determine if the devolved bodies have acted within their powers

Question 17

How has devolution impacted policy divergence?

Answer 17

• Devolved institutions of S,W&NI have introduced polcies which differ from those pursued by the UK gov for England
• Policy divergence was evident in health and education before devolution and has become more pronounced since
• +: concerns for their electorate e.g smoking ban in Scot has been taken up by others (E,E&NI)
• -: undermine the principle of equal rights e.g. same sex marriage was illegal in NI until 2020

Question 18

How has devolution affected funding in UK politics?

Answer 18

• devolved administrations are funded by black grants from the UK treasury
• 2016 - Scot: £28m NI:$10m Wales: £14

Question 19

Has devolution undermined the Union?

Answer 19

yes:
+ devolution has lead to problems such as West Lothian question
+ policy divergence has undermined the idea of common welfare rights in the UK
+ SNP has become the dominant poltical party in Scot and support for Scot independence has increase
no:
- devolution has answered S,W&NI demands for greater autonomy
- devolution has proceeded relatively smoothly, without major disputes between UK gov and the devolved bodies
- policy divergence reflects the different interests of hte nations of the UK