The Scottish Parliament
A Guide to the Roles and Creation of the Parliament of Scotland
Before 1707, when England and Scotland were not united, Scotland had an independent parliament that had a legislature which was known as the Three Estates.
Whilst the Act of Union of 1707 was being negotiated between England and Scotland, the Scottish suggested that the parliament in Scotland that already existed was allowed to stay, but with reduced powers. However, the British did not allow this and for the next 300 years, the British government and parliament had total power and directly governed Scotland from Westminster.
The Creation of the Scottish Parliament
There were more calls for a devolved Scotting parliament in the early twentieth century, but suggestions were shelved due to the outbreak of World War One in 1914. There was a significant increase in Scottish nationalism in the 1960's and there were calls for more independence and there were even some demands for complete independence from England and the rest of the United Kingdom.
A number of factors, including the Kilbrandon Commission, led Prime Minister Harold Wilson to commit his government to write up a devolved legislature in 1974. It was not until 1978, that the final proposals for a Scottish Assembly were passed by the British government.
It was then decided under the Scotland Act of 1978, that an elected Scottish assembly would be formed, provided the majority of the Scottish electorate voted in favour of it. The referendum failed and the assembly was not formed.
During the 1980's and 1990's there was still pressure for a Scottish parliament to be formed, perhaps fuelled by the Conservative government which ruled for much of this time. Scotland elects very few Conservative Member's of Parliament.
In 1997, when Tony Blair's Labour government came into power, a Scottish referendum secured a majority in favour of a Scottish assembly with tax-varying powers and after a vote in May 1999, the new Scottish Parliament had powers transferred from Westminster in July 1999.
Powers and Duties of the Scottish Parliament
The British government in Westminster agreed to hand over some of its responsibilties on domestic policies in Scotland over to the newly formed Scottish Parliament.
These domestic matters include education, justice, agriculture and health. The Scotland Act of 1998 enables the Scottish Parliament to pass primary lesiglature on such issues. The Scottish Parliament has the power to pass laws and has some power over taxation levels, however foreign policy and some domestic issues are still presided over by the main British government.
The Scottish Parliament consists of 129 elected politicians who are known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). They are elected every four years with the most recent election being in 2007.
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is Alex Fergusson.
Scottish Flag
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Politics & Society
Latest Articles