Devolution of Power in the UK

Devolution of Power

• Devolution is the transfer of power from a central government to local or regional governments.
• In the UK, this refers to the transfer of power from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and Northern Irish Assembly.
• Reserved powers are issues on which only the UK Parliament can make laws, for example, the Constitution, Immigration, and foreign policy.
• Devolved powers are issues on which devolved assemblies and parliaments can make their own laws. Examples include Tourism, education, housing, and health and social care.
• The Conservative Government in 2010 proposed greater devolution of power away from national and local government with their "Big Society" idea.
• This idea aimed to empower local communities through businesses, charities, and community groups.

Referendums in the UK

• Referendums in Scotland and Wales in 1997 led to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.
• A referendum in 1998 resulted in London having a directly elected Mayor and devolved powers.
• Power-sharing was introduced in Northern Ireland in 1998.
• The UK saw a referendum in 2011 to change the voting system.
• Scotland held an independence referendum in 2014.
• Britain's membership of the European Union was the subject of a referendum in 2016.

Scottish Parliament

• The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national (unicameral) legislature of Scotland.
• It is located in the Holyrood area of Edinburgh and was founded in 1999.
• The Scottish Parliament Act 2012 granted Scotland more devolved power than Northern Ireland or Wales.
• The Scottish Parliament has more borrowing and spending powers, and can set its own income tax rate.
• The Scottish National Party (SNP) is the party with the largest number of seats in the Scottish Parliament.
• The current First Minister of Scotland is Nicola Sturgeon, who has led a government since November 2014.

Scottish Independence

• Scottish people had a referendum in 2014 on whether Scotland should be an independent country.
• The results were 55% voting against independence and 45% voting for it.
• Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom.
• The Scottish National Party supports Independence and the turnout for the referendum was 85%.

Arguments for and against Scottish Independence

• Arguments for: Self-government, control over policy matters, strong Scottish identity, control over income and resources, including oil fields.
• Arguments against: The UK has existed for many years and all parts of the UK have benefited from its membership. There is a shared language and culture, and the UK will be weaker if it breaks up.

Northern Ireland Assembly

• The Northern Ireland Assembly has 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
• Voting requirements include:
  • Being registered to vote
  • Being 18 or over on election day
  • Being a British, Irish, Commonwealth, or EU citizen
  • Being registered at an address in the area you want to vote in
  • Not being legally excluded from voting
• MLAs are elected using the Single Transferable Vote system.

National Assembly for Wales

• The National Assembly for Wales has 60 Assembly Members (AMs).
• Voting requirements include:
  • Being registered to vote
  • Being 18 or over on election day
  • Being a British, Commonwealth, or EU citizen
  • Being resident at an address in Wales
  • Not being legally excluded from voting
• AMs are elected using the Additional Member system. You vote once for your constituency AM and once for an AM to represent the wider region.

Democracy

• The word democracy comes from the Greek language, meaning "government by the people".
• Democracy has many different interpretations and meanings throughout history and is constantly evolving.
• Most people agree that a democratic society would consist of: freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, freedom of the press, the rule of law, equal opportunities, tolerance of others, and respect for Human rights.

This quiz explores the devolution of power from the UK central government to regional governments like the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. It covers reserved and devolved powers, the implications of the Conservative Government's 'Big Society' idea, and the impact of referendums on the establishment of these devolved bodies.