Devolution

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Define Devolution

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the process of transferring power from central institutions (Parliament) to regional bodies

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What type of state is the UK?

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Unitary state

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50 Terms

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Define Devolution

the process of transferring power from central institutions (Parliament) to regional bodies

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What type of state is the UK?

Unitary state

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Define unitary state

a state in which sovereignty is concentrated in a single institution of central government

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Define a federal state

where sovereignty is shared between central and regional levels of government

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Define Quasi-federalism

a division of powers between central and regional government that has some features of federalism without possessing a federal structure

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What are the origins of devolution?

  • It was a response to Wales and Scotland’s unhappiness about the Thatcher’s government - lead to a rise in nationalism

  • 1980s - Growing resentment in Wales and Scotland due to the Thatcher govt

  • 1997 - Labour’s commitment to devolution after the Conservative rule

  • 1998 - Devolution acts

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What are the three types of devolution?

  • Financial devolution - the ability to levy and lower taxes

  • Legislative devolution - the ability to create primary legislation through an assembly

  • Administrative devolution - allows devolved bodies to implement policies and decide elsewhere

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What is primary legislation powers?

the ability to make laws on a matter that has been devolved from Westminster

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What is secondary legislation powers?

the ability to pass some laws passed by the Houses of Parliament

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How is the levels of devolution shared in federal systems?

It is equal among each nation state and how a nation state uses it, is up to them and it can’t be limited by the central govt

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Define asymmetrical devolution

a form of devolution that operates differently in different regions with no common pattern or devolves powers and responsibilities within the state

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How does the Scottish Parliament work?

  • The Scottish Executive is responsible for proposing and carrying court legislation

  • The Scottish Legislature is responsible for debating legislation and scrutinising the Executive

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When did Scottish Devolution take place? Which act put devolution in action?

The Scotland Act 1998

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What levels of devolution occurred for Scotland?

All levels

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What matters can Scotland legislate on?

  • Education - tuition fees

  • Health - Covid restrictions

  • Economic development - income tax

  • Environment

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What are reserved powers?

Matters that devolved bodies cannot legislate over since it is reserved by Westminster

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Where does Scotland’s money from?

Westminster - The Barnet Formula

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What can devolved bodies do with their money?

They can choose what they prioritise their money on

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What is the main events during Scottish Devolution?

  • The Scotland Act 1998

  • The Scotland Act 2012

  • Independence referendum 2014

  • EU withdrawal Act 2016

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What did the 2012 Scotland Act do?

  • It allowed Scotland to levy or lower income tax by 41p to 42p difference

  • This meant that people payed more tax (£50,000 earners payed £1,552 more tax in Scotland than England) in Scotland and Scotland had control of 50% of their revenue

  • It also stated that a referendum would be required if the Scottish Parliament was to be abolished

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What are other examples and impacts of Scottish devolution are there?

  • Gender recognition laws was blocked in 2022 for opposing UK law. The courts stated that this was legal because it contradicted UK laws - Parliament’s sovereignty

  • Devolution hasn’t killed the SNP - in 2021 Scotland wanted another independence referendum but Westminster wouldn’t grant one as they didn’t have a majority

  • The Supreme Court ruled that the PM must allow Scotland to have another referendum

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What level of devolution did Wales get at first?

Administrative devolution - they could only pass secondary legislation

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Which Act gave Wales devolution?

The Government of Wales Act 1998

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What did the Government of Wales Act 2006 do?

This gave Wales the opportunity to have a future referendum for further devolved powers

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When was the Welsh referendum held and what was the outcome?

  • It was held in 2011

  • The citizens voted yes to further devolved powers

  • The Welsh Assembly was change to the Welsh Senadd

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What did the Government of Wales Act 2014 do?

  • Wales can have a referendum on whether they wanted financial devolution

  • The Welsh govt having control over landfill tac and other taxes (stamp duty, business tax)

  • They would have limited powers to borrow money and invest in major projects

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What did the Government of Wales Act 2017 do?

  • Removed the need for a referendum on financial devolution

  • They now could levy or lowers income tax by 10p

  • They had greater freedom with borrowing

  • The Welsh Assembly being called the Welsh Senedd

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What can the Senedd legislate over?

  • Health - Free prescriptions for everyone under 25

  • Education - No school league tables published

  • Economic development - taxes

  • The Welsh language

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Who has dominated the Welsh Senedd since its creations?

Labour

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What are the impacts of devolution?

  • Innovative policies started in Wales - plastic bag price raise

  • Economic development programs in Wales are successful

  • Concerns over Brexit and its impact on Welsh industries

  • May government reduced tax autonomy - calls for independence

  • Internal Market Act is placing strains as the UK govt tries to centralise power

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What act gave Northern Ireland devolution?

  • The Belfast agreement was endorsed on 22nd May 1998

  • It gave them administrative and financial devolution

  • It also gave NI the option to call a referendum to leave the union without the need of the UK’s consent

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How is power shared in the Northern Ireland Assembly?

There has to be a coalition between the unionist parties (DUP) and nationalist parties (Sinn Fein)

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Which three powers does the Northern Ireland Assembly have?

  • Transferred powers - controlled by NI

  • Reserved powers - controlled by Westminster

  • Excepted powers - powers that cannot be given to NI unless special laws are passed by Westminster

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What does Stormont have control over?

  • Education

  • Health and social services

  • Local government

  • Control over passenger duty (little financial power)

  • Justice, policing and prisons

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How many times has the Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed and reassembled since 1998?

3 times latest in 2022-24

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What happens when the Northern Ireland Assembly doesn’t run?

Westminster rules (direct rule) - this has ben done multiple times

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Who currently has the majority in the Northern Ireland Assembly?

Sinn Fein has the majority and the deputy leader of NI is a member of the DUP - this could lead to NI leaving the union

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How does devolution work in England?

It was centred in London, through the creation of a London Mayor and a Greater London Authority

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What is the West Lothian question?

Since England rejected devolution in 2004, many MPs argue that Scottish MPs shouldn’t be able to vote on English matters if English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters

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What did Cameron introduce in 2014?

  • He introduced English Votes for English Laws (this was scrapped in 2021)

  • The McKay commission in 2013 created a Grand Committee in which English MPs can veto a bill if it only impacts England - these bills need to be passed by the whole house at third reading.

  • Occurred in Jan 2016 - created a two tier system and public spending in England impacts the spending in the devolved regions

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What did the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act (2016) introduce?

Metro Mayors

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What can Metro Mayors do?

  • Spatial planning

  • Regional planning

  • Provisions of skills training

  • Business support services

  • Economic development

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How many Metro Mayors are there and where?

There are 9 metro mayors since 2021 - Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands

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What does each metro mayor get given?

A set budget on matters that Westminster prioritises

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What does the Greater Manchester Metro Mayor get to do?

He gets £6 billion to spend on health and social care

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Why do some argue that Metro Mayors are a good thing?

  • They’ve had a positive impact on the most deprived and distant areas in the UK

  • Metro Mayors are more flexible than central govt

  • It has decentralised power as Westminster can overlook the North

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Why do some argue that Metro Mayors are a negative thing?

  • Many believe that devolution in England would create tensions between the UK Parliament and the devolved bodies

  • It is evidence devolution is asymmetrical and people can feel ignored

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How did devolution work during the Covid 19 pandemic?

  • At first all four nations responded to covid the same way

  • Since Covid 19 was a health matter, the devolved bodies acted differently with their policy on lockdown and prevention matters

  • The MM of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, challenged the attempts by the UK Governments to put Manchester into quarantine without adequate funding

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How did devolution and Brexit cause problems?

  • The Devolved Bodies voted differently- Scotland and NI voted remain and Wales and England voted leave

  • The border between NI and the Republic caused controversy (UK Internal Market Act). NI is in the EU Market and UK Single Market

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What are the differences in health and education between the Devolved Bodies?

  • Spending per person in Scotland and NI are 29% higher and 23% higher in Wales than in England