(3) Devolved Government

When has this process taken place across the UK?
1. The first election of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly were held in May 1999, follow successful referendum in 1997
2. The Northern Ireland Assembly came into existence in 1998, as a consequence of the Good Friday Agreement
3. All major party now support devolution
Devolution and nationalism
1. Sottish and Welsh nationalist grew in significant during the 1970's due to growing electoral support and weakness of Labour Government
2. Nationalism wavered in the 1980's
3. By 1990's revised in nationalism due to growing resentment against London basted Tory Govt for a time, had no representatives in Scotland or Wales.
  1. Self-confident - north sea oil
  2. Labour interested in Devolution
4. Labour works with SCC, Lib Dem's, a number of small parties, Churches and other civil groups to develop a frame work for Scottish devolution
5. Plans for Welsh devolution draw up in the same way
6. Many in Labour hoped Devolution would curve Nationalism
  1. Growing nationalism was due to frustration at being ruled from London by an English-dominated Parliament
  2. Devolution should weaken separatist nationalism and in the process, strengthen the UK due to increase control over domestic affairs
  3. Declining support for Both SNP and Plaid Cymru in second round of devolution elections in 2003
7. The nationalist parties different view of implication of devolutions
  1. Goal of SNP and Plaid Cymru are the Scottish and Welsh independence, they saw devolution as a step on this road
  2. Devolution is likely to strengthen nationalism as it would help to give Scotland and Wales clear political identities, creating the chance for more radical demands
  3. Scenario borne out of the defeat of the Lab-Lib Dem's coalition in the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections and the formation of a minority SNP administration
  4. Opinion polls in Scotland continue to show that there is only minority support for independence
8. Northern Ireland's devolution has had contrasting implications for nationalism
  1. It has lead to a polarization of views, as support has grown for "extreme" Unionist and Republican parties at the expense of "moderates" ones
  2. The prospect of participating in government has encouraged the DUP and Sinn Fein to work together in a power sharing executive, may 2007
  3. More pragmatic forms of Unionism and Republic
Nature of Assembles
1. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have different systems of devolution
  1. The Scottish Parliament
    1. The Scottish Parliament is an example of legislative devolution.
    2. It has primary legislative powers on most fields of domestic policy and limited tax-varying powers, raise or lower income tax by 3%
  2. Welsh Assembly
    1. The welsh Assembly was, an example of administrative devolution, had no control over Tax and only secondary legislative powers
    2. Following an affirmative referendum in March 2011, the Assembly gained primary legislative powers in all 20 areas of responsibilities
  3. Northern Ireland Assembly
    1. The Northern Ireland Assembly has some primary legislative power but no control over taxation, although its power can be expanded in line with the principle of "rolling" devolution if power-sharing proves to be successful
2. Central government continues to retain control of overall economic policy, defence policy and foreign affairs, NIA has cross-border cooperation with the Republic
  1. Funding for the devolved bodies is allocated by the UK Treasury as a "block", although the devolved institutions can spend their blocks as they wish within the framework of their powers
3. The devolved bodies nevertheless have broad responsibilities, including:
  1. Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food
  2. Culture, media and sport
  3. Economic development
  4. Education and training
  5. Environment
  6. Health
  7. Home affairs (except Wales)
  8. Legal system (only in Scotland)
  9. Local government and housing
  10. Social services
  11. Trade and industry (very limited in Wales)
  12. Transport
4. Has devolution made a diffence
  1. Some significant changes have undoubtedly taken place in Scotland
    1. These include the abolition of upfront tuition fees for uni students, the reintroduction of free long-term care for the elderly and higher teachers' pay
    2. Local govt elections have also been changed with the intro of STV voting system
  2. The Welsh Assembly has pioneered new initiatives in childcare and early years policies, and has abolished prescription charges
    1. It has also reorganized the NHS to bring it in line with local government boundaries
  3. The impact of devolution in NI has limited by the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly between 2002 and 2007
    1. The restoration of power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein is likely to provide the basis for the development, over time of a distinctive approach to domestic policy,
Quasi-federalism?
1. Process rather than a event. This implies that the establishment of devolved bodies was not an end in itself. It was a prelude to further, and more radical change
2. UK described as a formQuasi-federalism
  1. It implies that devolution has gone beyond the simple handing down of power by a sovereign Westminster Parliament and has come to resemble federalism
3. Why has Quasi-federalism come about?
  1. The devolution has been strengthened in the UK by a number of factors
    1. Democratic legitimacy
      1. A major factor in determining the success of devolution in the UK was the decision to hold devolution referendums in 1997
        These ensured that newly created devolved bodies began life with a measure of democratic legitimacy
      2. Subsequent elections in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 have bolstered the democratic credentials of the devolved institutions and helpesd to strengthen the sense of separate Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Irish political identities
    2. Asymmetrical devolution
      1. The uneven nature of devolution tends to strengthen centrifugal forces within the UK
        This is because where devolution was initially weaker, as in Wales, the existence of stronger version of devolution serve to fuel demands for greater decentralization
      2. This has been evident in growing calls in Wales for full legisltive devolution
        Any increase in the powers of weaker devolved bodies will encourage stronger bodies to demand greater autonomy
    3. Party control
      1. The full significance of devolution was disguised by the fact that, in its early years, Labour rules in Westminster and in Edinburgh and Cardiff - minority or coalition govt
        Policy differences and political disagreements are likely to me modest
      2. A change in govt at either level, would create political distance between central govt and devolved bodies
        The election of a majority SNP administration in Scotland in 2011 thus raises the prospect of further devolution and possibly even Scottish independence
    4. Realignment of pressure group politics
      1. Devolution has significant altered patterns of pressure groups politics in the UK
        Businesses, trade unions and promotional groups of various kinds increasingly look to influence policy through devolved bodies
      2. As these groups establish closer links with devolved bodies they, are likely to support growing demands for further decentralization and strengthened devolved powers
The English question
1. The most glaring example of asymmetrical devolution in the UK is the fact that England, With 84% of the UK population, has remained entirely outside the devolution process
2. This has happen for very good reasons
  1. Devolution has largely been a response to the growth of sub-UK nationalisms which have been fulled by resentment that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been ruled by an English-dominated Parliament
  2. The sheer size of England makes the idea of an English Parliament highly problematical. If the domestic affairs of 84% of the UK population were determined by an English Parliament, what would be the purpose of the Westminster Parliament
3. The absence of English devolution has been a cause of constitutional and political difficulties
  1. The political difficulties that this has generated have been reflected in growing resentment in England that it is only part of the UK that lacks a discrete political voice
  2. English taxpayers have been funding policy innovations and improved services in Scotland and Wales that have not benefited England
    1. Although the so called "Barnett formula" aims eventually to bring about a convergence in per capita spending, block funding continues to advantage Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the expense of England
4. A possible solution to these problems would be the introduction of a system of regional government in England that would complement the devolved assemblies elsewhere
  1. In 1998, the Blair government therefore set up nine Regional Development Agencies (RDA's), with the possibility that these could, be transformed into elected regional assemblies
  2. A strong "no" vote in 2004 referendum on the establishment of an assembly for the North East of England has effectively blocked any further progress in this direction by demonstrating little public support for English regional government
  3. In June 2010, the coalitions announced its intention to abolish RDAs, further undermining the prospects for English regionalism

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(3) Devolved Government

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