development of the UK constitution

Question 1

Why did blair want to reform democracy?

Answer 1

• Decentralisation: too much power on westminster, devolving power to scotland, wales own elected govt, towns electing own majors
• Transparency: to encourage greater trust in government. Role of senior judiciary to be reformed. Freedom of informationact making it more accounbtab;e to public
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Question 2

House of lords reform 1999

Answer 2

Removed all but 92 hereidtary peers

Question 3

Devolution

Answer 3

Scotland act 1998 - created scottish parliament with primary powers varying powers
Scotland act 2012: small extenstion of powers, increase to +10% income tax varying powers and devoltuion of some other taxes
Scotland act 2016 : extened powers to transport energy and social security benefits. to set income tac rates and thresholds aswell to recieve the proceeds from VAT

Wales act 1998 - created welsh assembley with secondary legislative powers
Wales act 2006 - provided for an additional referendum on primary legislative powers
2011 - welsh devolution referendum voted to give the assmebley direct law making powers health and education
Wales act 2014 - gave minor tac powers and a referendum on income tac varying powers
Wales act 2017 - provided a reserved powers model further powers transport and enegery gae +/- 10% income tac varying powers

Northern ireland act 1998 - based on the belfast agreement created te N ireland assembley and related instituions power sharing executive model power to legislate in transferred matters
St andrews agreement 2006 renewed devolution in 2007
2010 devolution of polcing and criminal injustice
2015 corporation tac n ireland act devolved piwers to set corpoation ta

Question 4

London mayor and GLA (greater london authority) 2000

Answer 4

Mayor elected by supplementary vote
Greater london assembley elected via ams
London mayors and metro mayors elected by sv abolished by conservatives

Question 5

Electoral reform

Answer 5

AV 2011 referendum on reforming the electoral system voted 67.9% to not reform it to av

Question 6

Human rights act 1998

Answer 6

• Effectivley incorparted the european convention of human rights into uk law so citziens could more easily assert these rights in the uk
• Judges ca issue a declaration of incompatibility if they feel laws conflict the rights

Question 7

Supreme court constitutional reform act 2005

Answer 7

• Seperate court in a seperate building
• Court judges on disputss between devolved nations and uk govt e.g. in 2022 scottish govt did not have power to call an independant referendum without consent of govt

Question 8

Freedom of informations act

Answer 8

Gave public access to documents held by governments bodies