UK Devolution Flashcards
Key devolution legislation for Scotland
Scotland Act 1998
- Gave the Scottish Parliament legislative powers in a number of domestic areas, vary income tax by 3p
Scotland Act 2012
- Tax raising powers up to 10p in £1
Scotland Act 2016
- Further transfer of powers such as abortion, speed limits
Key devolution legislation for Wales
Government of Wales Act 1998
- Set up Welsh assembly, lacked primary legislative powers
Government of Wales Act 2006
- Request further powers from Westminster
Wales Act 2014
- Tax raising powers, landifill tax
Wales Act 2017
- Tax up to10p, more transfer of powers
Devolution for Northern Ireland
Good Friday Agreement in 1998
- Promised a return to local government
- Reduce British Army presence
- Created Northern Ireland Assembly
Areas in which Westminster still holds sway
- Defence
- Immigration
- Foreign policy
- Trade
Has devolution worked well in the UK?
Yes
- Allowed for regional differences
- Proved popular within voters
- Enable more electoral systems to be used
- Encouraged policy making, 2006 Scottish smoking ban in public
No
- Led to inequalities, free tuition in Scotland
- Encouraged greater separation, 2014 referendum
- SNP calles for 2nd referendum
- No chnage in electoral system for GE
Existing devolution in England
- 32 London boroughs
- City mayors
- 57 unitary councils
Should England have its own parliament?
Yes
- Would complete devolution
- Resolve the West Lothian Question
- More power decentralised away from London
- Devolution has worked well elsewhere
No
- England differenct by size and economy
- England largely lacks its own national identity
- EVEL addressed WLQ, scrapped in 2021
- No evidence of public support
The impact of devolution on the government of the United Kingdom
The British Constitution
- Quasi federal now
Policy variation
- Covid 19 rules variations
Alternative voting systems
- Scotland and Wales uses AMS, Ireland STV
Pressure groups
- Now also target devolved assemblies
