Devolution – Scotland

Devolution of Powers to Scottish Parliament

Background – Motivation/The need for reform?

• There have long been movements dedicated to the introduction of greater self government for Britain’s national regions
• A Scottish Nationalist Movement has existed for over a century (although SNP = only created in 1928)
• Prosperity in 1980s headed off nationalist demands for power – but these re-emerged after the 1987 General Election
• Under Margaret Thatcher – although Conservatives = dominant in England – their mandate (authority given by electorate) was weak in Scotland and Wales [Labour and other parties held an overwhelming majority of the seats]
• The Labour party in Scotland and Wales felt threatened by the new growth in nationalist voting – feared they too would suffer the same fate as the Conservatives
• In Scotland = huge resentment that unpopular “Poll Tax” had been introduced one year earlier than in England and Wales – they felt they were guinea pigs
• End of Cold War in late 80s = upsurge of nationalist feeling across the world
• John Smith who took Labour leadership in 1992 was a committed devolutionist
• At that time Labour party believed it would need the support of the Liberal Democrats in order to gain power and devolution was one of their key policies
• Devolution was a clear part of the Labour manifesto for the 1997 general election and their decisive victory gave them a clear mandate

Reforms

• Referendums took place in 1997 – majority (74.3%) voted yes on 60% turnout
• Contraversial part of leglislation= proposal for what the Conservatives dubbed a ‘tartan tax’ (ability of Scottish Parliament to vary UK income tax by 3% up or down)
• Scotland Act was passed in 1998 with this provision

What were the effects of the reform?

• By 1999 the Scottish Parliament had come into existence
• 129 seats – voting = Alternative Member System [each voter = 2 votes] (73 elected by FPP and 56 = party list) – means that it is unlikely that any one party will gain a clear working majority
• Elections = every 4 years
• First election = Labour majority – but not overall – therefore coalitionwith Liberal Democrats
• In 2007 this coalitioncollapsed and the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) formed a Government with a majority of only 1 [the fact that Labour lost power has been attributed to dissatisfaction with the Labour party on the whole and with Tony Blair in particular) – fact that SNP = more power = implications for further demands for full independence
• Scottish Parliament = powers to make PRIMARY legislation in selected areas [primary legislation includes laws and the ability to grant powers to other public bodies]
• Scottish executive is headed by a First Minister (currently Alex Slamond)= effectively the PM of Scotland
• Decision to grant powers of primary legislation = crucial to Scottish devolution – meant that Scots = opportunity to make themselves and their society distinctive
• Devolution has allowed the people of Scotland to decide their own policies irrespective of central government wishes – eg – Scottish Parliament abolished fees for University students in Scotland

How successful has it been? – Praise/criticisms

• At first turn out in Scotland for first elections = 58%
• Calman commission established in 2007 to review Scottish devolution 10 years on – reported in 2009 with 24 recommendations for reform
• Most of the funding for Scotland still comes from Westminster
• The fact that the leading party in the SP is different to that in Westminster could be a problem

The West Lothian question

• Named after the constituency of Tam Dalyell (Labour opponent of devolution)
• Problem = Scotland still sends MPs to Westminster – all MPs at Westminster who represent Parliamentary constituencies in Scotland can vote on issues affecting Wales and England only (all issues affecting Scotland = Scottish Parliament)
• Also – English and Welsh MPs have no such voting rights over Scottish issues
• Could argue that Scottish MPs should be denied a vote on any issues affecting just England and Wales – but this may affect the Government’s majority
• The West Lothian Question could become a constitutional crisis if a government was to have a working majority in the HoC for the UK as a whole, but not for England and Wales

Future

• The coalition have agreed to set up a body to look into the West Lothian Question
• The coalition have agreed to implement the recommendations of the Calman Commission (see above)
• The SNP (leading Party in Scottish Parliament since 2007) want further devolution/independence – the fact that they now dominate the Scottish Parliament has implications for the future of the constitution [they want a referendum on full independence – although  polls suggest that this would produce a ‘No’ vote – however the new London Govt may change opinion as most Scots are still very anti Conservative]