Devolution in Scotland

There had been administrative devolution in Scotland since the nineteenth century. What this meant was that a non-elected Scottish Executive administered various services in Scotland on behalf of the UK government. Matters such as education, health, local authority services and policing were managed separately in Scotland. The country also had its own laws. However, there had been no Scottish Parliament to pass these laws since 1707. Rather strangely, it was the UK Parliament in Westminster that made the laws for Scotland. So Scotland was partly on the road to devolution before 1997. In addition, it should be noted that nationalist sentiment was much stronger in Scotland than it was in Wales or Northern Ireland, sodevolution was all the more urgent a matter.

Scotland Act 1998

In 1997 a referendum was held in Scotland to gauge support for devolution. The Scots voted overwhelmingly in favour, by 74% to 26% on a 60% turnout. The following year the Scotland Act was passed, granting devolution. It was implemented in 1999 and the f rst Scottish Parliament was elected. The main powers that were devolved to this parliament, and the executive which was drawn from it, were as follows:

•  Power over the health service

• Power over education

•  Power over roads and public transport

•  Power to make criminal and civil law

•  Power over policing

• Power over local authority services

•  Power to vary the rate of income tax up or down by 3%

•  Other miscellaneous powers

At the same time, a new electoral system was introduced for the Scottish Parliament. This was the additional member system. The government of Scotland would be formed by the largest party in the parliament or by a coalition. The first minister,leader of the largest party, would head the government.