Mr Fuller Paper 2 - Devolution

Question 1

Scottish parliment workings

Answer 1

Has 129 members
- 73 msps (57%)- single member constituencies from FPTP system
- 56 msps (43%)- additional members - chosen from party lists
- proportional representation allocated to parties on a corrective basis - distribution of seats more accurate

Question 2

Welsh senedd workings

Answer 2

How is it divided up
-40 members elected in the single member constituencies - use FPTP
- 20 members elected in the 5-multi member regions using regional lit system of proportional representation

Welsh gov - formulates and implements policies
- separate body from assembly in 2007
- 1s minister head of gov - leader of the largest party

Powers have expanded- not as mush as Scottish
- primary legislative powers
- previosly only had secondary and exclusive powers
- determines how to implement welsh legislation on a range of welsh issues passed by west minister

Question 3

Government of wales act 2006

Answer 3

Allows assembly to gain primary legislative powers if approved in a referendum

Question 4

2011 wales referendum

Answer 4

64% voted yes - devolution is the preferred constitutional option
- support for independence has increased 30% by 2021

Question 5

Governement of wales act 1998

Answer 5

• primary legislation in 20 devolved areas
• education
• health
• transport
• environment
• economic development

Question 6

Wales act 2014

Answer 6

Delivers on proposals made in a second silk report - specified matters reserved for Westminster

Question 7

Is wales or Scotland more proportional

Answer 7

Scotland is more proportional than wales because it uses the single transferable vote (STV) system - wales usesFPTP which i less proportional for its local election s

Question 8

Scottland rserved powers

Answer 8

Westministers control- limits powers of scotland parliment
- uk constitution
Defence + national security
- broadcasting
- foreign policy - relationship with the EU
-fiscal economic + monetary systems
- common market for British goods ad services
- employment legislation
- social security
- national immigration
- nuclear energy
- cannot be abolished without a referendum

Question 9

Northern Ireland disagreement

Answer 9

Disagreement between unionists and nationalists

Nationalists- catholic - unify with the Republic of Ireland
Unionists - Protestant- believes in the union of England

• for 3 decades fight a terrostist war to get the brits out of Northern Ireland - catholics IRA want British out
• April 10th 1998
• end violent terrorise conflict

Question 10

Good Friday agreement

Answer 10

1999, Tony Blair - peace process
- put theorist behind them
- power share - both sides make an agreement - ermenent coalition - co-operate to get stuff done
- if it breaks down power goes o Westminster - parlimentary sovereignty

Airline Philips - leader of the Democratic Party - scandal -cash for ash- pay subsides for people to move from electirc to burning wood - refused to resign

Question 11

Sinn Fein

Answer 11

Want the unity of Ireland
- 1st minister of NI Michel O-Neil - head of Sinn Fein - dedication to unification with in the republic

Rebuild an party - close links to IRA- shared power since 2007

Question 12

Northern Ireland parties

Answer 12

Sinn fein
Democratic union

• doesn’t have labour, conservative, Lib Dem

Question 13

NI proportional system

Answer 13

Single transferable vote
- elect Myers’s of NI assembly
- form of proportional representation
- rank in order of preference
- candidates need a set number of votes - quota

Question 14

Quota

Answer 14

A set number of votes a candidate needs - candidate who reaches 1st preference is immediately elected

Question 15

How dose the Northern Ireland assembly work

Answer 15

Power sharing devolution - unionist and nationalist parties share executive power - three stra structure

Strand 1 - democratic institutions with NI- Northern Ireland assembly and power sharpening executive

Strand 2- north- south institutions facilitate cooperation between NI and Republic of Ireland - north/south ministerial codes

Strand 3 - east/west institutions for British -Irish cooperation including the British Irish council

• governd differently from the rest of the UK
• lead jointly by the 1st minster and deputy 1st minister (leader of 2nd largest party)

Democratic unionist party - largest - originally posed the Good Fridayagreement

• election every 5 yrs
  Local elections every 4yrs

Question 16

Advantages of STV

Answer 16

• high proportionality - votes reflects share of seats- fairer for smaller parties

Representation for minorities - multi member constituency , STV makes it possible for smaller parties or minority communities to elect a representative , even in areas where group is not dominant

Greater voter choice- voters can choose candidates from different parties - appeal beyond party base

Fewer wasted votes -

Question 17

Disadvantages of STV

Answer 17

Complexity - off putting

Lengthy count- takes time to count all votw#es , more complex , longer than FPTP

Voters confusion - long list of voters , donkey voting - prefer candidates based on order

Question 18

Why did the assembly collapse in 2017

Answer 18

• renewable heat incentive scandal
• promoted resignation of Sinn Fein deputy head minster martin mcGuinines
• the resignation triggered collapsof power sharpening gov - exasperating pre-existing political tensions