Devolution

Question 1

What is the Scottish Parliament and government

Answer 1

Known as Holyrood. The legislative body and executive established in Scotland following the 1997 referendum, now elected on a 5-yearly basis with elections due in 2021 and 2026. In 2012 and 2016, tax powers and other major powers were transferred from Westminister to the Holyrood Parliament. They use the AMS electoral system.

Question 2

What is the Welsh Parliament and government

Answer 2

Known as Senedd. The legislative body and executive established in Wales following the 1997 referendum, now elected on a 5-yearly basis with elections since 2021 and 2026. Since 2020, the correct title for the body is Senedd or Welsh Parliament. They use the AMS electoral system.

Question 3

What is the Northern Irish Assembly

Answer 3

The legislative body and executive established following the 1998 referendum, now elected on a 5-yearly basis with elections formally due next in 2022 and 2027. But it has remained suspended between 2017 and 2020 due to collapse of the power sharing agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein

Question 4

What is the West Lothian Question?

Answer 4

This idea refers to the fact that after devolution, MPs from devolved regions still have the right to vote on matters that relate to England but by contrast, MPs from English Constituencies cannot vote on issues devolved to the regions

Question 5

3 ways in which devolution has affected the government of the UK

Answer 5

Devolution has impacted the unitary framework to a ‘quasi- federal’ state however parliamentary sovereignty stills remains as the UK Parliament could repeal all the devolution Acts and abolish the regional assemblies
Devolution has led to policy variation or an asymmetrical structure where one assembly has more devolved powers than the others
Devolution has led to the introduction of alternative voting systems beside FPTP such as AMS