Devolution

• Devolved Power – A matter devolved for decision-making by a regional assembly.
• Devolution is the process of delegating power from central government to a regional or local level.
• Devolution = Central Government granting power to subordinate authorities whilst retaining sovereignty
• Legislative devolution = the power to actually make, amend and repeal laws in predetermined areas
• Administrative Devolution = running services, having been allocated funds
• Federalism = sovereignty is shared between central government and states, with the power of states being guaranteed by a constitution
• Under devolution, there is tension and confusion regarding the roles of the elected representatives for different tiers of government
• With Devolution, Democracy has been enhanced within the UK since government is much more region sensitive: e.g. the congestion charge in London or the Scottish first smoking ban
• 2016 EU Referendum

  Remain % Leave %

  Scotland

  62 38

  England

  46.6 53.4

  Wales

  47.5 52.5

  N. Ireland

  55.8 44.2
• • 2016 ended the right of council tenants to purchase the houses they rented
• • a new national mission to reduce drug related deaths and harms was announced by the First Minister, supported by an additional £50 million per year
• Devolution has a positive impact on the UK.

  • Democracy has been enhanced within the UK since government is much more region sensitive: e.g. the congestion charge in London or the Scottish first smoking ban
  • The use of proportional electoral systems in the new assemblies has resulted in UK politics becoming much more pluralistic.
  • The electorates within the devolved regions accept devolution and express the view that it is the preferred system of government.
  • Devolution has become a laboratory of policy e.g Smacking ban and Smoking ban
• Devolution has a negative impact on the UK:

  • There is tension and confusion regarding the roles of the elected representatives for different tiers of government
  • The raft of different policy measures that have emanated from the devolved assemblies due to the unequal distribution of public funds as allocated by the complex Barnett formula
  • voters appear to be ‘underwhelmed’ by devolution: participation in elections to the new arenas has been a disappointment.
  • Devolution is an ongoing process, which could ultimately replace our unitary system with a quasi-federalist arrangement 
• Devolution is a laboratory for policies:

  • Smacking ban
  • Smoking ban
  • organ donor opt out
  • voting age
  • carrier bags
• Reserved Powers – Powers which cannot be carried out by a devolved institution, and instead only by the central government.
• Devolved Powers – Powers which can be carried out by a devolved institution.