devolution

Question 1

define devolution

Answer 1

• decentralisation of power

Question 2

federalism

Answer 2

• where government shares power with the states (us)

Question 3

1998 devolution act

Answer 3

• enabled scottish parliament and welsh and irish assemblies

Question 4

what did the scottish 1997 referendum ask?

Answer 4

• should scotland have devolution
• if it should have tax varying powers

Question 5

details of scottish parliament

Answer 5

• 129 mps
• using ams
• has administrative, legislative and local types of devolved power

Question 6

what are the two issues with scottish parliament?

Answer 6

• west lothian question: should england have devolved parliament? as scottish mps continue to vote on bills affecting england in westminster
• legitimacy of their parliament: 44.7% of electorate backed devolution, turnout of 2003 election was 49%

Question 7

what were the scottish election turnouts of 2003 and 2021?

Answer 7

2003 = 49%
2021 = 63.5%

Question 8

details of welsh assembly

Answer 8

• administrative and some legal powers but no financial powers
• ams used, 40 elected by FPTP, 20 by regional party list system

Question 9

what was the result of the 2021 welsh election?

Answer 9

• plaid cymru 13 seats
• labour 30 seats
• tory 16 seats

Question 10

what was the result for the 1997 referendum for a welsh assembly?

Answer 10

• 50.3% in favour

Question 11

what was the welsh turnout in 2003 and 2021?

Answer 11

• 38%
• 47%

Question 12

what are the issues with the welsh parliament?

Answer 12

• plaid cymru is divided on whether they want independence or not
• only 47% electorate voted in 2021 election, questions its legitimacy

Question 13

details of the northern ireland assembly

Answer 13

• established after 1998 good friday agreement
• 90 elected members
• use stv electoral system
• suspended 2017 to 2020 due to policy agreements between power sharing executives
• administrative and some financial powers but no legislative powers

Question 14

what powers does the northern ireland assembly have

Answer 14

• some financial
• administrative
• no legislative

Question 15

what powers do scottish parliament have

Answer 15

• administrative
• financial
• legislative

Question 16

what powers do the welsh assembly have

Answer 16

• administrative powers
• some legal powers
• no financial powers

Question 17

what are the issues with northern ireland’s assembly

Answer 17

• been suspended twice, in 2017 and 2000
• rapid growth of catholic population will change the demographic and political picture in the future
• ira’s historical involvement in violence complicates power sharing with sinn fein

Question 18

what are the three problems associated with devolution?

Answer 18

• rise of nationalism leads to the inevitability of breakdown of the union of the uk
• political and legal sovereignty is being lost to the regions, devolution is the first step towards federalism
• west lothian question still unresolved as north of england rejected regional assembly 2004

Question 19

examples of english devolution

Answer 19

• 57 unitary councils
• city mayors
• 25 county councils

Question 20

scottish devolution referendum stats

Answer 20

• 1997
• 74.3% in favour
• 25.7% not

Question 21

welsh assembly referendum stats

Answer 21

• 1997
• 50.3% yes, 49.7% no

Question 22

good friday agreement stats

Answer 22

• 1997
• 50.3% yes, 49.7% no

Question 23

impact of devolution on the consitution

Answer 23

• unitary to quasi-federal
• westminster cannot legislate on devolved matters without consent of assembly/parliament
• can remove power through an act of parliament

Question 24

impact of devolution on policy variation

Answer 24

• eg. scotland, ni and wales could manage covid differently to england
• some say it has led to inequality across the uk eg. tuition fees for uni free in scotland but not in uk

Question 25

impact of devolution on an alternative voting system

Answer 25

- fptp, ams and stv are used - can lead to coalition or minority governments - increased representation of different regions

Question 26

impact of devolution on pressure groups

Answer 26

- pressure groups can be more accurate with who they pressurise (where policy is going to be made) - eg. cop26 has seen environmental campaigners coverage in glasgow

Question 27

four successes of devolution in the uk

Answer 27

- allowed for regional political differences to be recognised - strengthening of union between regions - vital in enabling peace process - been popular among voters

Question 28

failures in devolution in the uk

Answer 28

- led to inequalities in provision of cost of public services - weakened unity of the uk as rise of nationalism calls for federalism - devolution has not muted demands for full independence - no additional replacement found for fptp as coalition govs proving problematic at times

Question 29

four arguments for england having their own parliament

Answer 29

- complete current asymmetry - would enable a british identity - enable more power to be decentralised away from london - devolution a success elsewhere in uk

Question 30

four arguements against havgin a devolved english parliament

Answer 30

- england has a larger economy and population and therefore would be more complicated to have a devolved parliament - considerable expense involved - would significantly weaken parliaments role/sovereignity - no evidence to in strong support as northern assembly was rejected with a low turnout