devolution Flashcards

1
Q

define devolution

A
  • decentralisation of power
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

federalism

A
  • where government shares power with the states (us)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

1998 devolution act

A
  • enabled scottish parliament and welsh and irish assemblies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what did the scottish 1997 referendum ask?

A
  • should scotland have devolution
  • if it should have tax varying powers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

details of scottish parliament

A
  • 129 mps
  • using ams
  • has administrative, legislative and local types of devolved power
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what are the two issues with scottish parliament?

A
  • west lothian question: should england have devolved parliament? as scottish mps continue to vote on bills affecting england in westminster
  • legitimacy of their parliament: 44.7% of electorate backed devolution, turnout of 2003 election was 49%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what were the scottish election turnouts of 2003 and 2021?

A

2003 = 49%
2021 = 63.5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

details of welsh assembly

A
  • administrative and some legal powers but no financial powers
  • ams used, 40 elected by FPTP, 20 by regional party list system
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what was the result of the 2021 welsh election?

A
  • plaid cymru 13 seats
  • labour 30 seats
  • tory 16 seats
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what was the result for the 1997 referendum for a welsh assembly?

A
  • 50.3% in favour
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what was the welsh turnout in 2003 and 2021?

A
  • 38%
  • 47%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what are the issues with the welsh parliament?

A
  • plaid cymru is divided on whether they want independence or not
  • only 47% electorate voted in 2021 election, questions its legitimacy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

details of the northern ireland assembly

A
  • established after 1998 good friday agreement
  • 90 elected members
  • use stv electoral system
  • suspended 2017 to 2020 due to policy agreements between power sharing executives
  • administrative and some financial powers but no legislative powers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what powers does the northern ireland assembly have

A
  • some financial
  • administrative
  • no legislative
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what powers do scottish parliament have

A
  • administrative
  • financial
  • legislative
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what powers do the welsh assembly have

A
  • administrative powers
  • some legal powers
  • no financial powers
17
Q

what are the issues with northern ireland’s assembly

A
  • been suspended twice, in 2017 and 2000
  • rapid growth of catholic population will change the demographic and political picture in the future
  • ira’s historical involvement in violence complicates power sharing with sinn fein
18
Q

what are the three problems associated with devolution?

A
  • rise of nationalism leads to the inevitability of breakdown of the union of the uk
  • political and legal sovereignty is being lost to the regions, devolution is the first step towards federalism
  • west lothian question still unresolved as north of england rejected regional assembly 2004
19
Q

examples of english devolution

A
  • 57 unitary councils
  • city mayors
  • 25 county councils
20
Q

scottish devolution referendum stats

A
  • 1997
  • 74.3% in favour
  • 25.7% not
21
Q

welsh assembly referendum stats

A
  • 1997
  • 50.3% yes, 49.7% no
22
Q

good friday agreement stats

A
  • 1997
  • 50.3% yes, 49.7% no
23
Q

impact of devolution on the consitution

A
  • unitary to quasi-federal
  • westminster cannot legislate on devolved matters without consent of assembly/parliament
  • can remove power through an act of parliament
24
Q

impact of devolution on policy variation

A
  • eg. scotland, ni and wales could manage covid differently to england
  • some say it has led to inequality across the uk eg. tuition fees for uni free in scotland but not in uk
25
impact of devolution on an alternative voting system
- fptp, ams and stv are used - can lead to coalition or minority governments - increased representation of different regions
26
impact of devolution on pressure groups
- pressure groups can be more accurate with who they pressurise (where policy is going to be made) - eg. cop26 has seen environmental campaigners coverage in glasgow
27
four successes of devolution in the uk
- allowed for regional political differences to be recognised - strengthening of union between regions - vital in enabling peace process - been popular among voters
28
failures in devolution in the uk
- led to inequalities in provision of cost of public services - weakened unity of the uk as rise of nationalism calls for federalism - devolution has not muted demands for full independence - no additional replacement found for fptp as coalition govs proving problematic at times
29
four arguments for england having their own parliament
- complete current asymmetry - would enable a british identity - enable more power to be decentralised away from london - devolution a success elsewhere in uk
30
four arguements against havgin a devolved english parliament
- england has a larger economy and population and therefore would be more complicated to have a devolved parliament - considerable expense involved - would significantly weaken parliaments role/sovereignity - no evidence to in strong support as northern assembly was rejected with a low turnout
31