Devolution

Résumé du document

Devolution is "a form of subsidiary passing power back to the people " ; " it is the transfer to a subordinate elected body , on a geographical basis, of functions at present being exercised by Ministers and Parliament." ("Definitely British, Absolutely American!", Ellipses 2001). To understand better why the United Kingdom needed such a reform, we first need to explain how the United Kingdom was formed, which is interesting and not very well-known. We'll then make here a brief historical account of the formation of this Union, which is, still today, a sovereign state. Scotland resisted longer than the others to English rule. But at the end of the fifteenth century, their catholic queen, Mary I, is forced to abdicate after the Scottish reformation. 1603 : Her son, James VI succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I and then assumed the title of James I of England. It is the beginning of the reign of the Stuart family of "Great Britain". It's also the beginning of the Union of the Crowns, even if 2 separate parliaments remained. Yet, strong religious and political differences still divided the kingdom.

Extraits

[...] The Scottish Parliament has a committee system. Committees play a central part in the work of the Parliament taking evidence from witnesses, scrutinising legislation and conducting inquiries. The subject committees, whose remits are based on the responsibilities of Executive departments, and the mandatory committees, whose remits are set out in the Parliament's standing orders, are both established for the duration of the current parliamentary session. Private Bill committees are established to consider particular Bills. They can initiate their own inquiries in subject areas within their remit, prepare and introduce their own bills. [...]

[...] On last Tuesday, the DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams have managed to reach an accord that restores self government to Northern Ireland and divides the power in the Northern Ireland Assembly Executive. Rev. Ian Paisley will take the First Minister position while Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin will hold the Executive office of Deputy First Minister. Government has introduced legislation which will result in the restoration of the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly on the 8th of May B. [...]

[...] The first elections to the Scottish Parliament were held on the 6th of May 1999. As no single party gained an overall majority at the elections, a coalition was negotiated between Labour (the largest party) and the Liberal Democrats (fourth largest party) .On the 14th of May 1999 the Lab-Lib Dem Partnership for Scotland agreement was signed and transfer of powers took place on July the 1st Elections are held every four years, on a fixed term basis (other than extraordinary general elections in special cases) and the Parliament operates a 4-year sessional sitting cycle, rather than the annual cycle used at Westminster. [...]

[...] Devolution in Northern-Ireland A. Legislative and Executive The creation of a Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive was one of the terms included in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The first elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 25th of June under the Single Transferable Vote system a system of proportional representation that allows voters to vote for individual candidates (as opposed to party lists) in order of preference. The Northern Ireland Assembly has 108 members. [...]

[...] In return, his son becomes the Prince of Wales. Yet, the Crown has only indirect control over Wales, by way of the Marcher lords : with the Laws in Wales Act, the political and administrative union of England and Wales is completed : - Law of England extended to Wales - English only permissible language for official purposes - Wales represented in Parliament at Westminster The conquest of Ireland by England 1171 : Henry II invaded Ireland after the Normans 1541: The Irish Parliament is ordered by the King Henry VIII to change the status of Ireland to a kingdom with himself as a monarch : Union of the Crowns, with the Crown of Ireland Act 1603 : The Tudor monarchs took the control of the whole island The conquest of Scotland by England Scotland resisted longer than the others to English rule. [...]