The role and powers of devolved bodies in the UK and the impact of this devolution on the UK Flashcards
What is devolution ?
- The dispersal of power but not sovereignty within a political system
What is asymmetrical devolution ?
- A type of devolution where various regions have been granted unequal amounts of power
What did the 2006 government of Wales act do ?
- Provision for further powers in 20 key areas to be transferred from Westminster to Wales, if this was requested through a referendum
- ## 2011 : 64% voted to confirm that further devolution was preferred (including healthcare, education, transport and the environment)
What did the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum also do and when was their influence shown ?
- Creation of the silks commission which investigated the ways in which financial powers could be devolved and how it would better meet the needs of the people
- 2012 : commission proposed the transference of the tax-raising measure to give it eventual control in raising 25% of its annual budget (Adopted in 2014)
When did the Welsh assembly officially become the Welsh Parliament ?
- May 2020
- Known as Senedd Cymru
Why were further powers granted to Scotland in 2016 ?
- 2016 : in response to the surge in nationalistic feeling following the close result in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum
- Granted financial autonomy known as ‘devo-max’
What did the Wales act of 2017 grant ?
- Some proposals of the second part of the silk commission
- Granted similar levels of legislative and fiscal powers and responsibility to those of Scotland
What is the West Lothian question ?
- Scottish and Welsh MPs voting on matters that don’t effect their own constituents eg 2002 : Uni fees were raised to £3,000 a year due to Scottish MPs voting in favour despite it not effecting Scottish students
What is EVEL ?
- English votes for English laws
- If the speaker determined a bill as only concerning England or England and Wales then could be vetoed by MPs representing those regions
- FAILED to ensure measured desired by a majority of English MPs would be passed
- Eg 2016 : Extension of trading on a Sunday passed the EVEL stage but was defeated by a vote of the whole chamber with SNP voting against even though Scotland wouldn’t be directly effected
- Uni fees were tripled under cameron in which the SNP supported yet it didn’t effect scottish students
Where has there been devolution in the England ?
- During the coalition, attempts were made to introduce directly elected mayors to major cities in England
- Parliament granted the 12 largest English cities on whether to have a directly elected mayor or not
- Only 1/10 other major citifies voted to have a mayor (Bristol)
What was introduced across England ?
- Combined authorities / metro areas
- Areas that were previously metropolitan areas with a local council could combine resources and share services across a wider area to make them more effective and efficient
- Means of cutting cost and providing an economic incentive
What did the 2015 chancellor commit to and why ?
- Osborne was committed to granting autonomous powers to large cities as means of tackling the issue of underperformance in major cities
- Announced in Oct 2015 that combined authorities would be allowed to keep all revenue from business rates if they agreed to have a directly elected mayor
What enacted devolution to cities in England ?
- Cities and local government devolution act 2016
- Represented a major step towards more devolved local government in England with a sizeable economic incentive to adopt them
As of 2021 how many metro-mayors were there ?
- 8
What are the powers of the Greater Manchester devolved body ?
- 30 year investment fund of £900 million
- Control of £6 billion health and social care budget
- £30 million per year hosing investment fund
Tees valley devolved city powers ?
- 30 year investment fund of £450 million
- Consolidated transport budget bus franchising £59 million transforming cities fund
- No control over health
What happened with regards to devolution in 1979 ? (Wales and Scotland)
- Referendum on Scottish devolution failed to reach 40%
- Wales : only 20% were in favour of devolution
What happened with regards to devolution in 1997 ? (Scotland and Wales)
- Scotland : referendum of Scottish devolution passes with a comfortable majority
- Wales : referendum passes with a narrow majority
When did the Northern Irish Assembly get suspended (twice) ?
- 2002-2007
- 2017-2020
What happened in 1998 with regards to devolution (Scotland, Wales and NI) ?
- Scotland : Scotland Act established further devolution and a Scottish executive + Parliament
- Government of Wales act granted considerable admin. devolution to Wales + also promised a referendum on income tax raising powers
- NI : Belfast agreement is approved in a referendum, Northern Ireland Act is passed granting devolution and the First elections to the NI National Assembly
What happened in 1999 with regards to devolution (Scotland, Wales and NI)
- Scotland : First Scottish parliament since 1707 meets and the gov. starts to operate
- Welsh assembly is elected, holds its first meetings and a Welsh executive is formed
- NI power sharing gov. takes power
What happened in 2014 with regards to devolution ? (Wales and Scotland)
- Wales : Wales Act gave the gov. powers over several taxes and a referendum on income tax-raising powers
- Scotland : Referendum for independence was defeated 55% to 45%
What happened in 2016 (Scotland) ?
- Scotland Act which granted wide-ranging financial powers to the Scottish government including control over income tax rates
What happened in 2017 and 2020 (Wales) ?
- 2017 : Government of Wales act passes which devolved greater political, administrative and fiscal powers to the Welsh assembly
- 2020 : Officially renamed the Welsh parliament
Why is there not an English parliament ?
- England has 84% of the UK’s population and 95% of the UK’s GDP meaning England would dominate its own English Parliament as well as the UK parliament
- Traditionalists argue Westminster is already an English parliament and further devolution would lead to the break up of the UK
Regional devolution in England :
- 2004 : Referendum in the North East region for administrative devolution but it was rejected 78% to 22% (then abandoned)
- Police commissioners were introduced to improve accountability but turnout is low (2021 : 31%) and few people even know who their commissioner is
When was the Greater London Assembly created and what do they do ?
- 1997
- Mayor controls the allocation of funds
- 25 assembly members have the power to veto the budget and proposals of the mayor
- Mayor has the power of patronage but appointments can be vetoed
- Checks and balances system + AMS election system meaning one party doesn’t have an overall majority
Who were the last 3 London Mayors and what have they been instrumental in ?
- Livingstone, Johnson and Khan
- Improved community policing, Growth in the arts scenes in the capital + improve public transport
Should cities be given more independent powers ? (yes)
- Local democracy is closer to the people and will therefore more accurately reflect their demands
- Local needs vary a great deal so ‘one size fits all’ is not realistic
- The whole UK is ‘London centred’ so local government may boost local economies and spread wealth
- Demonstrating that local councils and mayors have significant powers will boost local democracy
Should cities be given more independent powers ? (No)
- Central control means that all parts of the UK should receive the same range of quality and services
- Central control will prevent irresponsible local government over spending
- Turnouts tend to be low so local government is not held accountable enough
- There is a danger the traditional unity of the UK may be jeopardised
Scotland 1998 Act features
- Powers devolved : health service, education, roads and transport, policing and income tax +/- 3%
- AMS system to elect MSPs + First minister would be head of the executive government
Provisions of the Scotland Act 2016
- Included the following measures : widening the area Scottish Parliament could pass laws, power over regulation of the energy industry, control over welfare, income tax and some business taxes
What issue has been caused by leaving the EU/Brexit ?
- Scotland voted to remain in the EU : 62% to 38%
- The only way to join the EU is for full independence
Provisions of the Government of Wales Act 1998 and why ?
- Fewer powers as the turnout was 50% and voted on devolution by less than 1%
- Purely administrative : health, education, public transport and agriculture
- Reliance on an annual grant from the UK government
Provisions of the Government of Wales act 2014 :
- Referendum in Wales to decide whether the government of Wales should have partial control over income tax
- The Welsh government was granted control over various taxes including business taxes
- Limited powers to borrow money on open markets
Provisions of the Government of Wales act 2017
- Greater freedom in borrowing
- Administrative and legislative responsibility for more areas including electricity production
- Creation of Welsh Revenue Authority
- Renamed the Assembly to the Welsh parliament (came in to force 2020)
Why is devolution different in NI ?
- devolved government 1921-1972 but with violence breaking out in the 1970’s it was dissolved in 1972
- Religious conflict
Belfast agreement / good Friday agreement 1998 :
- STV : ensured ministerial places for all major parties
- Compromise and coalitions
- Included : Education administration, healthcare, transport, policing, agriculture and passage of laws not reserved to Westminster
- Been dissolved which shows that devolution isn’t the same as federalism and sovereignty remains at Parliament
Key differences in devolution (policies) :
- Wales : Greater help for the homeless, Uni tuition is capped at £6.000 and more free home care for the elderly
- Scotland : No uni fees, SNP dominance, free prescription and greater fox-hunting restrictions
- NI : Gay marriage not recognised until 2020, greater abortion restrictions and prescriptions are free
What recent event has highlighted differences in devolution ?
- COVID-19
- Differences in lockdown measures, travel arrangements, school closures etc
