Devolution: Existing Devolution In England

Question 1

What are the different types of local government authorities in England and how many of them are there by 2020?

Answer 1

57 unitary councils, 36 metropolitan boroughs, 25 county councils, 188 district, borough or city councils, 32 London boroughs, 10 combined authorities and government 15 directly elected city mayors

Question 2

What are unitary councils?

Answer 2

Single-tier bodies response fro a range of local services including education and social care as well as libraries, refuse collection and parks

Question 3

What are metropolitan boroughs?

Answer 3

Single-tier bodes that have broad similar powers to unitary councils but are longer established and are found in heavily unrealised ares like the North and Midlands

Question 4

What are county councils?

Answer 4

Two-tier local authority structure and oversee key services such as education and social services and are principally found in less heavily urbanised areas

Question 5

What are district, borough or city councils?

Answer 5

Two-tier structure and are responsible for providing more localised services such as leisure, planning and refuse collection and tend to be in less heavily populated areas

Question 6

What are combined authorities?

Answer 6

Set up originally in 1999, and enable a group of two or more councils to collaborate and take decisions across council boundaries

Question 7

What are London boroughs?

Answer 7

London has its own setup local government, comprising 32 boroughs and the Greater London Authority and a directly elected mayor and was set up after a referendum in 1998

Question 8

What are city mayors?

Answer 8

After the Local Government Act 2000 allowed any local council in England to hold a referendum on the introduction of a directly elected mayor, either by citizen petition or council decision and since then council have been allowed to introduce the system without a referendum and in the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 ‘Metro Mayors’ were elected for the first time

Question 9

Which former Labour health minister was elected Manchester mayor in 2017?

Answer 9

Andy Burnham

Question 10

What reflects the lack of real power and self-determination enjoyed by local councils?

Answer 10

The frequent mergers of local authorities

Question 11

Before the role was abolished who was elected the mayor of Hartlepool in 2002, 2005 and 2009?

Answer 11

H’Angus the Monkey, the Hartlepool Town football club mascot

Question 12

When was a Speaker’s Conference held about devolution in England?

Answer 12

1919-1920

Question 13

What would an English parliament end?

Answer 13

Current asymmetry and complete the process of devolution in a logical way

Question 14

Which Conservative MP unsuccessfully tried to propose a private members bill for a referendum on an English parliament?

Answer 14

Teresa Gorman

Question 15

What question would an English Parliament provide a permanent answer to?

Answer 15

West Lothian Question and end the convoluted process of English votes for English laws (EVEL)

Question 15

What question would an English Parliament provide a permanent answer to?

Answer 15

West Lothian Question and end the convoluted process of English votes for English laws (EVEL)

Question 16

In July 2015 how did the SNP break a convention that reinstated the need for some for having an English Parliament?

Answer 16

The SNP forced Cameron’s government to relax the fox hunting ban in England and Wales after the SNP said its MPs would vote against the measure breaking the convention that Scottish MPs would not vote on an English-matter

Question 17

How would an English parliament reducing the centralisation of power in Westminster be a good thing?

Answer 17

As any parliament would be based outside of London and therefore reduce the dominance of London over English politics

Question 18

What would an English parliament give to English identity and interest?

Answer 18

A clear expression and priory to English identity and interests

Question 19

Comparing to devolution in the UK what is an argument for English parliament?

Answer 19

It has worked well generally in other parts of the UK

Question 20

Which party is very supportive of an English Parliement and makes an argument for why there should be one?

Answer 20

The Conservative Party with MPs like Andrew Rosindell and John Redwood showing large support for the idea

Question 21

What is an argument against an English parliament economically and population wise?

Answer 21

An English parliament would dominate Economically and population wise a federal UK

Question 22

What is an argument against an English parliament culturally?

Answer 22

England lacks the cohesive cultural identity with the parts of the UK having more regional identities than a national identity

Question 23

What is an argument against an English parliament in terms of location?

Answer 23

There would be much debate about the location

Question 24

What is an argument against an English parliament financially?

Answer 24

There would be considerable extra cost to another layer of government including extra representatives and more civil servants

Question 25

What is an argument against an English parliament in terms of its relationship with Westminster parliament?

Answer 25

It would undermine Westminster parliament in a way the other assemblies cannot

Question 26

What is an argument against an English parliament in terms of the union?

Answer 26

It would weaken not strengthen the Union as England runs no chance of independence from the UK

Question 27

What is an argument against an English parliament in terms of public support?

Answer 27

There is a lack of public enthusiasm as seen as when the North East rejected a regional assembly in 2004 with a 78% rejection rate