Devolution

Question 1

What is Devolution?

Answer 1

The transfer of political power not sovereignty from the central Gov to a/other sub national Gov/s.

UK = Scottish Parliament = most powerful devolved institution.

Question 2

What is Primary legislative power?

Answer 2

Authority to make laws on devolved policy areas e.g. tax raising matters.

Question 3

Does the Scottish Parliament, 1999 have primary legislative powers?

Answer 3

Yes.

Question 4

What primary legislative powers does the Scottish Parliament, 1999 have?

Answer 4

Tax raising matters/laws making matters within devolved assemblies.

Question 5

Does the Welsh Assembly, 1999 have primary legislative powers?

Answer 5

Not to start with but does gain them later.

Question 6

What primary legislative powers does the Welsh Assembly, 1999 have?

Answer 6

To start with = executive powers determining how Westminster legislation was implemented in Wales.
After 2011 referendum = gained primary legislative authority in devolved matters + gained tax raising powers under the Wales Act of 2017.

Question 7

Does the Northern Ireland Assembly have primary legislative powers?

Answer 7

Yes.

Question 8

What primary legislative powers does the Northern Ireland Assembly have?

Answer 8

limited powers over tax/etc.

Question 9

Since the 1970s what were the different pressures that caused devolution of the UK?

Answer 9

• Discontent with the UK political system.

- Revival of national cultures, which prompted a revival of Scottish + Welsh nationalism.

Question 10

What is nationalism?

Answer 10

• Political ideology.
• Movement that regards the nation as the main form of political community + believes the nation should be self-governing.

Question 11

How many MSPs are there in the Scottish Parliament + what voting system is used to vote them in?

Answer 11

129 MSPs (members of Scottish Parliament) (in total) = elected by an additional member system =

• 73 MSPs (57%) = elected using FPTP.
• 56 MSPs (43%) = elected using Party lists (based on proportional representation, so the share of seats given to a Party accurately reflects their share of votes).

Question 12

For the Scottish Parliament, how many years are there between each general election?

Answer 12

Traditionally = 4 years.

After 2011 election = 5 years.

Question 13

What are two of the jobs of the Scottish Gov (Scottish Exec = until 2007) =

Answer 13

1) Draws up policy proposals.

2) Implements legislation.

Question 14

Who heads the Scottish Gov? (Examples = 1999-2007/2007-2018).

Answer 14

1st minister (leader of the largest Party).
Examples = 
1999-2007 = Lib Dems in coalition with the Lab Party. (Alex Salmond).
2007-2018 = SNP (Governing Party) = leader = Nicola Sturgeon.

Question 15

What did the Scotland Act of 1998 do?

Answer 15

• Gave Scotland primary legislative power in a range of policy areas + Westminster would no longer make laws for Scotland on these matters.
• Scotland could lower the income tax by 3%.
• Westminster kept the right to override the Scottish Parliament in areas where legislative powers were devolved.
• Limits on Scottish Parliament’s legislative powers were established.

Question 16

What did the Scotland Act of 2012 do?

Answer 16

Gave Scottish Parliament the power to set Scottish income tax rates higher/lower than the rest of the UK.

Question 17

What did the Scotland Act of 2016 do?

Answer 17

• Gave Scottish Parliament 50% of VAT revenue raised in Scotland (Gave Scottish Parliament control of around £15 billion).
• Westminster will no longer be able to legislate on devolved matters without consent.
• The Scottish Parliament + Gov are now permanent parts of the UK constitutional arrangements.
• The Scottish Parliament + Gov cannot now be abolished without a vote in a Scottish referendum.

Question 18

What are reserved powers?

Answer 18

Powers that still only Westminster has control of?

Question 19

What did the SNP believe about the changes to the Scottish Parliament + Gov + its powers? (negative).

Answer 19

The changes didn’t go far enough + fell short of “devomax” = Scottish Parliament would have full control of all taxes/duties + spending.

Question 20

Give 3 examples of reserved powers?

Answer 20

1) UK constitution.
2) Foreign policies + relations with the EU.
3) Nationality + immigration.

Question 21

Give 3 examples of devolution/further independence, which occurred in the years, 2007/2009 + 2011.

Answer 21

1) 2007 = the Lab Gov set up the Calman Commission to consider further devolution of powers.
2) 2009 = C Commission recommendation = give Scottish Parliament the power to set a Scottish income tax rate.
3) 2011 = Scottish Parliament election = SNP won a landslide victory/Westminster gave the Scottish Parliament temporary powers to hold an independence referendum.