Scottish Parliament Overview

Scottish Parliament and Government

• The Scottish Parliament was founded in 1999, as per the Scotland Act 1998.
• The Holyrood Parliament is based on the Scotland Act 2016, specifically section 1, which establishes its permanence.
• Core functions include governing, law-making, and holding the executive accountable.
• The Parliament's website is parliament.scot.

Life of the Scottish Parliament

• The Scottish Parliament's life cycle is defined by the Scotland Act of 1998.
• A new session begins within 7 days of a general election.
• The parliament dissolves before the next election, typically the 1st Thursday in May of the 4th calendar year following the prior election.
• Extraordinary general elections can be triggered if a two-thirds majority of MSPs vote for it, or if the Parliament fails to appoint a First Minister within 28 days.

Composition of the Scottish Parliament

• The Parliament consists of 129 members (MSPs).
• 73 MSPs are elected using the First Past the Post (FPTP) system.
• 56 MSPs are elected using the additional member system, based on proportional representation across 8 constituencies.
• Voters have two votes in this system; one for a constituency MSP and one for a political party to determine additional members.

Scottish Government

• The Scottish Government is headed by the First Minister, who is appointed by the King and accountable to the Scottish Parliament.
• The First Minister, and other ministers appointed by them, are collectively referred to as the Scottish Ministers. This follows the UK parliamentary model with a few unique touches.
• The First Minister can be removed from their position by a vote of no confidence from the Parliament.
• The structure and powers of the Government are defined by the Scotland Act of 1998.
• The First Minister can resign anytime, and if the Parliament deems the government no longer enjoys their confidence.
• The Scottish Government's authority stems from delegated powers, enabling them to govern Scotland, similar to the UK Parliament.

Powers of the Scottish Government

• Statutory functions can be assigned to the Scottish ministers.
• Devolution has shifted many powers from the UK government to the Scottish Government.
• Legislative and executive powers are detailed in the Scotland Act 1998.
• The extent of Scottish government authority varies by subject, with some areas still under UK government control.
• Powers are often transferred or delegated specifically by acts of the Scottish Parliament.