Alternatives for the Governance of Scotland Flashcards

A set of 10 vocabulary flashcards covering the governance of Scotland, devolution acts, and the independence debate based on the provided lecture notes.

Devolution

A structure of Government whereby some powers are delegated from the main decision-making institution (the UK Parliament and Government) to smaller decision-making institutions (the Scottish Parliament and Government).

The Scotland Act (1998)

Legislation passed in the UK Parliament that set out which powers would be devolved to Scotland, such as Health and Education, and which would remain reserved to Westminster, such as Defence and Foreign Policy.

The Scotland Act (2012)

An act that gave the Scottish Parliament powers over specific areas including airguns, speeding, drink driving limits, land tax, and landfill tax.

The Vow

A proclamation released by the leaders of the 3 main pro-Union parties two days before the 2014 referendum promising that Scotland would get extra powers if voters rejected independence.

Block Grant

The annual budget provided by the UK Government to the Scottish Government to spend on devolved services.

Barnett Formula

A complex mechanism whereby Scotland receives approximately $10\%$ of the money the UK Government has allocated to spend on the same services in England.

Devo-max

Also known as full fiscal independence, where the Scottish Parliament is responsible for raising and spending all its own taxes while remaining part of the UK.

The Scotland Act (2016)

Legislation that delivered new powers to Scotland including the ability to set rates and bands of income tax and control over benefits like Carer’s Allowance and Disability Allowance.

GERS

Official Government statistics which in 2019 estimated that Scotland spends $\pounds 15$ million more a year on public services than is collected in taxes.

Trident

The UK’s nuclear weapons system based in Scotland at Faslane, near Helensburgh, which is a reserved power controlled by Westminster.