Devolution (United Kingdom)

Interior view of the Scottish Parliament

As devolution describe British policy and constitutional theory a shift of political powers of the Houses of Parliament away to elected representatives in Scotland , Northern Ireland and Wales . These decide on health policy , schools , housing policy , agricultural policy and fisheries , environmental protection , tourism , sport , cultural goods and economic development . England does not have its own regional parliament.

history

The devolution culminated for the time being with the establishment of Scottish , Welsh and Northern Irish parliaments in 1998. These new foundations followed referendums held by the newly elected Labor government under Prime Minister Tony Blair as a result of an identical election promise. The constitutional start of this process, however, marked parliamentary disputes over Irish autonomy within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland towards the end of the 19th century. Further devolution efforts are conceivable as part of a Scottish independence referendum or a solution to the West Lothian Question .

West Lothian question

Devolution initiatives failed in several votes in the British Parliament due to a constitutional dilemma known since 1977 as the West Lothian question . In the West Lothian question , Labor MP for the West Lothian constituency , Tam Dalyell, raised a participatory imbalance between the various territories of the country in a debate as follows:

" For how long will English constituencies and English Honorable members tolerate ... at least 119 Honorable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on English politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? "

“How long will English constituencies and English [MPs] tolerate at least 119 [MPs] from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland having a tangible and often decisive impact on English politics while not having a say in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish affairs to have?"

- Tom Dalyell, November 14, 1977

Web links

• Cabinet Office: Devolution Guidance (English)
• Bowers, Paul: The West Lothian question , Commons Library Standard Note , December 22, 2011 (English)
• Devolution in general and in Britain

Individual evidence

1. ^ British government website , accessed March 5, 2012
2. ↑ Hansard : Scotland Bill HC Deb 14 November 1977 vol 939 cc51-213 , 14 November 1977. Retrieved January 2, 2012.