Scottish Parliament

The devolved legislature of Scotland, established in 1999 and based in Edinburgh. It makes laws in areas devolved from the United Kingdom Parliament and scrutinizes the Scottish Government.

Scottish Parliament electoral system: The mixed-member electoral system used to elect members of the Scottish Parliament. Constituency and regional seats shape representation in the chamber.
Scottish devolution referendum, 1997: A referendum in which Scottish voters endorsed a devolved parliament and supported its tax-varying powers. Its results authorized the establishment of the modern Parliament.
Reserved matters: Policy areas retained by the UK Parliament rather than devolved to Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. These exclusions mark the limits of the Scottish Parliament’s legislative authority.
Scottish independence referendum, 2014: A referendum in which Scottish voters chose whether Scotland should become an independent country; 55.3 percent voted no. The vote intensified debate over the Parliament’s powers and Scotland’s constitutional status.
Member of the Scottish Parliament: An elected representative in Scotland’s devolved legislature. MSPs debate bills, scrutinize ministers, and represent constituents.
Scotland Act 1998: The UK law that established the Scottish Parliament and set out its powers and electoral arrangements. It supplied the legal framework for the institution created in 1999.
Devolved matters: Policy areas for which a devolved legislature has lawmaking or executive responsibility. They define the main subjects on which the Scottish Parliament can legislate.
Scottish independence: The proposal that Scotland become a sovereign state independent of the United Kingdom. The Parliament has become a central institution in debates over independence.
Scottish Parliament committees: Small groups of MSPs that examine legislation, public policy, and government activity. Committees conduct much of the Parliament’s detailed scrutiny.
Scottish Constitutional Convention: A cross-party and civic body that developed proposals for a devolved Scottish legislature in the 1980s and 1990s. Its proposals helped shape the Parliament’s founding settlement.

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