Chính Quyền Phi Tập Trung
Devolution in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Since the late 1990s, some powers have been devolved from the UK Parliament at Westminster to national legislatures in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK Parliament remains sovereign and could theoretically take back devolved powers.
The Scottish Parliament sits at Holyrood in Edinburgh with 129 MSPs elected using proportional representation (the Additional Member System). It can pass laws on devolved matters and vary the basic rate of income tax in Scotland.
The Welsh Senedd (formerly the National Assembly for Wales) meets in Cardiff with 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs), also elected using AMS. It makes laws for Wales on devolved matters.
The Northern Ireland Assembly sits at Stormont in Belfast with 90 MLAs elected using the Single Transferable Vote (STV). It was established under the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement of 1998 to ensure power-sharing between unionist and nationalist communities.
Devolved powers include education, health, transport, environment, and agriculture. Reserved powers (kept by Westminster) include defence, foreign affairs, immigration, taxation (most taxes), and social security.
Local government operates through councils across the UK, delivering services like rubbish collection, libraries, roads, parks, and schools. Councillors are elected locally. Councils are funded partly through council tax, based on property value.
The Mayor of London is directly elected with powers over transport (including Transport for London), policing, housing, and planning across Greater London, working alongside the London Assembly.
The Scottish Parliament (Holyrood, Edinburgh) has 129 MSPs elected by proportional representation
The Welsh Senedd (Cardiff) has 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs)
The Northern Ireland Assembly (Stormont, Belfast) has 90 MLAs
Devolved powers include education, health, transport, environment, and agriculture
Reserved powers (kept by UK Parliament) include defence, foreign affairs, immigration, taxation, and social security
Council tax is a local tax that funds local services
Từ vựng
The transfer of powers from central to regional government
Member of the Scottish Parliament
The Welsh Parliament (formerly National Assembly for Wales)
Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
A local tax based on property value to fund local services
An electoral system where seats match the proportion of votes received
Tóm tắt bài học
- Scottish Parliament: 129 MSPs at Holyrood (Edinburgh), elected by proportional representation (AMS)
- Welsh Senedd: 60 MSs in Cardiff, also elected by AMS
- Northern Ireland Assembly: 90 MLAs at Stormont (Belfast), elected by STV under the Good Friday Agreement (1998)
- Devolved powers: education, health, transport, environment; reserved powers: defence, foreign affairs, immigration
- Local councils deliver services (rubbish, libraries, roads, schools) funded partly by council tax
- The Mayor of London is directly elected with powers over transport, policing, housing, and planning