development of devolution

• There have been 11 referendums since 1973 and 3 were about devolution
• 1979

  • Scotland - referendum on Scottish devolution failed to reach quorum of 40%
  • Quorum insisted upon by Conservatives 
  • Wales - referendum on devolution, only 20% vote in favour
• 1997


  Scotland - referendum on devolution passes with a comfortable majority

  60% TO and 74% yes

  Wales - referendum on devolution passes with a narrow majority

  50.5% yes and 46.5% no

  NI - Belfast/Good Friday Agreement agreed upon and negotiated by the leaders
• 1998 


  Scotland - Scotland Act following 1997 referendum

  • Establishes a Scottish Parliament and Executive - Scotland given powers over healthcare, education, roads and transport, criminal and civil laws, policing and varying tax powers

  Wales - Government of Wales Act

  • Establishes a Welsh Assembly and Executive
  • Grants administrative devolution to Wales and promises a referendum on financial powers
• 1998

  Northern Ireland - Good Friday Agreement approved

  • Restores devolved powers
  • Assembly established via STV
  • A power sharing executive is formed - coalition government

  NI Act is passed

  • Granting powers of agriculture policy, education administration, healthcare, transport, and passage of laws
• 1999


  Scotland - first Scottish Parliament meets

  Wales - first Welsh Assembly is elected and Welsh Executive formed

  NI - power sharing government takes power
• 2002 


  NI - Assembly is dissolved by UK Parliament due to increased tensions and a lack of cooperation
• 2006 


  Government of Wales Act

  • Small increase of powers
  • Offers a referendum for more devolution
• 2007 


  NI - Devolved government restored
• 2011


  Wales - Referendum on further devolution held

  • 63.5% yes 56.5% no
• 2014

  Scotland - Scottish Independence Referendum

  • Defeated by 55% no to 45% yes
  • Young people allowed to vote

  Wales Act

  • Gave the Welsh government powers over several taxes and promised a referendum over income tax
  • Felt that the power division between Scotland and Wales was too great
• 2016 Scotland


  Scotland Act

  • Grants wide-ranging financial powers to the Scottish government including control over income tax rates
• 2017

  Wales - The Government of Wales Act

  • Devolved greater powers to the Welsh Assembly + removed the referendum provision from 2014

  NI - January the government collapses
• 2020

  Wales - Welsh Assembly renamed as the Welsh Parliament

  NI - government restored following Sinn Fein and DUP agreement
• 2022 - Scotland

  SC ruled that the Scottish parliament does NOT have the power to legislate a second independence referendum