The Constitution

Question 1

Human Rights Act (1998)

Answer 1

• Sets out fundamental rights that everyone across the UK has access to
• Incorporates the rights set out in ECHR into domestic law
• Can now seek justice in a British Court for rights violations

Question 2

Freedom of Information Act (2000)

Answer 2

• Allows members of the public to request any information from any public body which has to be met unless confidential
• Can be an administrative fee
• Used in MP expenses scandal (2009)

Question 3

Judicial Reform (2005 & 2009)

Answer 3

• Established a Supreme Court in a separate building
• Removed law lords from HoL
• Created an independent commission for appointments

Question 4

House of Lords Reform (1999)

Answer 4

• Removed all but 92 hereditary peers
• reduced membership from 1,330 to 669
• Second stage never enacted

Question 5

Scottish Devolution (1998)

Answer 5

• Devolved powers such as agriculture, education, housing and health
• A result of growing nationalist sentiment in Scotland
• call for further devolution
• Indy Ref in 2014

Question 6

Scottish Devolution (2016)

Answer 6

• Following the Indy Ref (2014) - very close result (45% - 55%)
• Further powers were devolved including income tax powers and extensive welfare powers

Question 7

English Devolution

Answer 7

• Metropolitan mayors
• little desire for devolution (78% of public voted against a North East Devolution Referendum)
• Housing and transport transferred to local councils
• EVEL - Devolved bodies shouldn’t get to vote on strictly English laws
• Support for an English Parliament only 16-19%

Question 8

Welsh Devolution

Answer 8

• Narrowly devolution was passed with 50.3% of the vote (with a 50.2% turnout)
• Power over education, Welsh language board and Environmental agency
• 2014 gave borrowing and taxation powers

Question 9

What % of English population does devolution cover?

Answer 9

41%

Question 10

Example of regional policy from devolution

Answer 10

Cornwall offshore windfarm done by the Cornwall County Council

Question 11

What % of Cornish people wanted devolution

Answer 11

60%

Question 12

Example of representation from English devolution

Answer 12

In 2021, Oxfordshire had a Lib Dem, labour, green coalition - more views represented

Question 13

Example of urban areas being represented

Answer 13

Urban areas which are more likely to vote labour can be represented on mayoral level (In London, 3 terms of Labour mayor under Conservative government) even if not represented in government

Question 14

Example of approval of devolution

Answer 14

Sadiq Khan won 56.9% vote in 2016 - biggest personal mandate of anyone in history

Question 15

Example of desire for devolution

Answer 15

Mebyon Kernow (party for Cornwall) won 5 seats on Cornwall county council