Devolved Decision Making in scotland

Structure of the Scottish Parliament
1. The scottish constitutional convention had set out a vlueprint for the new parlieament in 1995 this was mainly for the basis of its introduction. Its main features were:
  1. A devolved scottish P within the Uk
  2. some powers were to be reserved for the UK P
  3. some powers to devolved Scottish P
  4. functions of the scottish office to be taken over
  5. 129 MSPs elected- 73 contituency, 56 party list
  6. A scottish first minister to be elected
  7. financed by a block grant from the UK P
  8. power to raise or lower income tax by 3%
founding principles for the scottish parliment
1. when the scottish parliment was set up there were a number of principles under which it was supposed to operate
  1. accesibility- P IN edin gives easy access to scots
  2. Accountability- MSPs are accountable to the electorate (voters)
  3. Transparency- open govt is seen to be operated
  4. Equal oppurtunities- more women and minorities could be encouraged
  5. Distribution of power- committee structure acts as check on ministers
  6. Representative and Participation- a wide range of people are involved
  7. Consensus and co operation- coalition govt helped here
Voting system
1. Scottish constitutional convention reccomended that PR introduced but AMS chosen instead for a number of reasons
  1. easy to understand as it includes elements of simple majority
  2. All MSPs linked to geogrpahical area
  3. Provides broadly proportional result
2. KNOW ABOUT HOW AMS SYSTEM WORKS
Role of an MSP
1. Each MSP has 2 basic roles to rep there constituents in Parl & to work in the constituency for the electorate (voters). They perform these jobs in number of ways:
  1. Parliament
    1. attending sessions in chamber
    2. taking part in debates
    3. asking questions both witten and oral at question time
    4. voting on legislation and motions
    5. working in comittes
  2. Constituency
    1. holding surgeries for their constituents
    2. attending meeting with various groups (councillors)
    3. writing letters on behalf of constituents
    4. attending functions in constituencies
Work of parlimentary commites
1. the sp comittee match main policy areas of the P and play a leading role in monitiring S govt. there are 17 cross-party commites which have the job of scruiticing leg as it passes through parliment. they perform a number of jobs, but there re limits attached to their work
  1. they hold the scottish govt to account by examining its work
  2. eachlaw passes through a comitee before it is finalised
  3. they take evidence from the public , experts and ministers
  4. 'engine room of the parliment''
  5. role of the petitions comitee is seen as v. important
  6. they have the power to introduce bills when nessesary
2. Limits of parlimentary comittes
  1. the comittes covernars are chosen by the partys in power
  2. the partys also have a tight grip on the leg put through P
  3. comittes can be seen as merley 'rubber stamping' govt plicies
First miniter
1. first min elected by parlimnet, as is the presiding officer( trisha marwick). the scottish govt or cabinet is chosen by the first min, with each minister heading a particular policy area. first mini has a number of jobs to perform, but there are hecks on his powers, same rules apply to the functions of the scottish govt
2. Role of first min
  1. responsible for the policies linked to devolved powers
  2. has the resp to ensure policies are put into practice
  3. appoints the ministers in the scot govt (cabinet)
  4. acts as the link between westminster and the scot parl
  5. spokes person for the govt in the parl
3. Limits on first min power
  1. Coalition partners have a say in formulating policies
  2. they have to be accomidated inside the executive ( deputy first minister) *
  3. First ministers own party may not like the comprimises made on policies
  4. minoity govt can be out voted at any time ( at the moment SNP)
  5. First min is accountable to the scot parl- many more parties
Has devalution improved democracy
1. For
  1. there is now an elected parliment in edinburgh representing scots
  2. The devolved powers are there to be used by scots for scots
  3. Holyrood easier acces than westminister for scots
  4. there are many more parties represented in holyrood
  5. elections are every 4 years instaed of 5
  6. the electoral stystem (AMS) is alot fairer, it is argued
2. agianst
  1. many important powers are reserved and there is much use of sewel motions (where the uk parliment legislates on scots behalf and the scottish govt adds this too its own leg)
  2. under electoral system partys have too much power over lists
  3. scottish parl still depends on westminister for finiance
  4. the AMS results in a coalition that nobody voted for
  5. Lib dems came fourth but had a say in the govt
Use of devolved powers
1. for the view that devolved powers have been used well
  1. many desicions been made using devolved powers- on health, education etc
  2. scottish solution have been found for scottish problems
  3. legislation has been passed more quickly here than it has in london
  4. coalition ( iwth libdems and cons) means a wider range of issues are conidered
  5. scottish public show more interest in scottish affaiirs- media coverage
2. agianst the view that devolved powers have been used well
  1. More bills started in wetminster than holyrood- sewel motiions
  2. scot leg still often tagged onto westminster llegislation *
  3. lib dems effectivness in getting reform was questioned - limited ares *
  4. Coalition often means comprimise-this pleases few people
  5. no major reform of health or education has happened

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Devolved Decision Making in scotland

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	Created by farah911 about 11 years ago