BRIEFING PAPER Number CBP-8441, 6 April 2020 "The settled will"? By David Torrance Devolution in Scotland, 1998-2020 Contents: 1. Summary 2. Scotland: constitutional position 3. Historical background 4. Scotland Act 1998 5. The Calman Commission 6. Scotland Act 2012 7. Scottish Independence referendum 8. The Smith Commission 9. Scotland Act 2016 10. The Supreme Court and devolution 11. Brexit and devolution in Scotland 12. Information and further reading 13. Political leaders in Scotland 14. Chronology of devolution in Scotland 15. Appendix www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library |
[email protected] | @commonslibrary 2 "The settled will"? Devolution in Scotland, 1998-2020 Contents 1. Summary 4 2. Scotland: constitutional position 5 2.1 Reserved matters 5 2.2 UK Parliament and Government 6 Scottish Affairs Committee 6 Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 7 2.3 The European Union 7 2.4 The Scottish Parliament 7 Parliamentary governance 7 Elections 8 First meeting following an election 9 Plenary sessions 9 Committees 10 2.5 How legislation is passed 10 2.6 Intergovernmental relations 11 3. Historical background 12 3.1 Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom 12 3.2 The Scottish Office 12 3.3 Campaigns for “Home Rule” 13 3.4 1979 devolution referendum 13 3.5 1997 devolution referendum 14 4. Scotland Act 1998 15 4.1 Scotland Bill 1997-98 15 4.2 First elections to the Scottish Parliament 16 4.3 Devolution – the first eight years 16 Fresh Talent Initiative 16 International aid 17 Scottish railways 17 4.4 Influence of the Scottish Parliament on Westminster 18 4.5 Criticisms of the devolution settlement 18 4.6 The “devolution paradox” 19 4.7 Fiscal responsibility? 19 Fiscal autonomy and fiscal federalism 20 Independence 20 4.8 Electoral system 21 4.9 2007 Holyrood elections 21 5.