NationStates Jolt Archive

1.) What powers does the Scottish parliament have?


2.) What lawmaking powers do the members of the union(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?

Scottish Parliament can make most of its own laws I think. Civil laws. Not criminal laws like murder. they can make it an offence to smoke in public, but not repeal the murder law. Same with N Ireland and Wales. Does that makes sense...?

What lawmaking powers do the members of the commonwealth(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?

Some laws vary between countries, e.g. N.Ireland's age of consent is 17, whereas in Enlgand it's 16.

1.) What powers does the Scottish parliament have?


2.) What lawmaking powers do the members of the commonwealth(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?

Wales, Scotland and NI aren part of the Union, as in the United Kingdom, not the commonwealth.

Wales, Scotland and NI aren part of the Union, as in the United Kingdom, not the commonwealth.

Fixed.

Scottish Parliament can make most of its own laws I think. Civil laws. Not criminal laws like murder. they can make it an offence to smoke in public, but not repeal the murder law. Does that makes sense...?

The scottish parliment can also make a small adjustment to the income tax rate if they wish (either make it slightly lower or higher than the rest of the UK).

The scottish parliment can also make a small adjustment to the income tax rate if they wish (either make it slightly lower or higher than the rest of the UK).

As Ive always said, too much power. Why should Scotland get independance? If they get it, I want it for East Anglia as well ;)

As Ive always said, too much power. Why should Scotland get independance? If they get it, I want it for East Anglia as well ;)

Heheeh,

I would like an english parliment (EDIT: in Birmingham, somewhere away from London) to address the constitutional imbalance there is at the moment in the UK. Though that would also involve all the different constituent parliments having the same powers. Then keep the westminster parliment for the whole of the UK. I suppose that means a fedural UK or everything goes back to westminster (though that I think is not such a good idea as the south of england, read mainly London, issues get too much prominence).

As Ive always said, too much power. Why should Scotland get independance? If they get it, I want it for East Anglia as well ;)

IMO it's not that they have too much power, it's just in which fields that power lies. I think the Union would be a lot stabler if instead of devolving entire bloody issues such as healthcare they should have split the power on each issue between westminster and holyrood. Because when some bugger gets round to finally solving the West Lothian question and/or setting up a separate English Parliament, Scots are going to start wondering why they're bothering to vote for UK MP's when they're only voting on say defence and foreign policy. And before you know it you've got independence, whether that's a good thing or not.

Of the various assembalies, Scotland's has by far the most power (in that it can make its own civil laws), then Wales (it only has authority on how the welsh budget is spent I think), and in Northen Ireland home rule is currently suspended due to several conditions in the Good Friday Agreement that have not been met. However it is feasible that home rule could restored in 2007.

Devolution is different from federalism in that central government in a divolved system is sovereign, and can withdraw home rule with another act of parliament. For instance the Senate or President of the US could not abolish the state legislature of California.

Regional government is given permission to preside over an area mandated by central government. Any increase in the power of the regional government must first be agreed by central government

Of the various assembalies, Scotland's has by far the most power (in that it can make its own civil laws), then Wales (it only has authority on how the welsh budget is spent I think), and in Northen Ireland home rule is currently suspended due to several conditions in the Good Friday Agreement that have not been met. However it is feasible that home rule could restored in 2007.

Devolution is different from federalism in that central government in a divolved system is sovereign, and can withdraw home rule with another act of parliament. For instance the Senate or President of the US could not abolish the state legislature of California.

Regional government is given permission to preside over an area mandated by central government. Any increase in the power of the regional government must first be agreed by central government

Cheers, I always wondered what the difference was

Heheeh,

I would like an english parliment (EDIT: in Birmingham, somewhere away from London) to address the constitutional imbalance there is at the moment in the UK. Though that would also involve all the different constituent parliments having the same powers. Then keep the westminster parliment for the whole of the UK. I suppose that means a fedural UK or everything goes back to westminster (though that I think is not such a good idea as the south of england, read mainly London, issues get too much prominence).

Not Birmingham, thats got the highest level of immigrants in the UK, 2nd only to London. In both cities its 'spot the white man'. from what my dad told me when he went there. 5 times. :cool:

Not Birmingham, thats got the highest level of immigrants in the UK, 2nd only to London. In both cities its 'spot the white man'. from what my dad told me when he went there. 5 times. :cool:

I don't mind immigrants and as it would represent the whole of England (the parliment) I don't think the number of immigrants is a problem for this issue. I thought of Birmingham because it is pretty central and has good transpot links as it is at the centre of the UK rail network.

I don't mind immigrants and as it would represent the whole of England (the parliment) I don't think the number of immigrants is a problem for this issue. I thought of Birmingham because it is pretty central and has good transpot links as it is at the centre of the UK rail network.

yeah, but you could think of a more... english... place couldnt you?

1.) What powers does the Scottish parliament have?
The power to have the most stupid parliament building you could even imagine, and also to make civil laws.
2.) What lawmaking powers do the members of the union(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?
I believe that existing criminal law cannot be repealed, but new laws can be created, and some things can be altered.

1.) What powers does the Scottish parliament have?


2.) What lawmaking powers do the members of the union(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?

EU parliment is supreme (seriously)...

The Scottish Parliament (Scots Pairlament) has powers of primary legislation, which means it can pass laws within Scotland on a wide range of issues... with the exception of certain things that London has forbidden it to legislate on, things like defence and other big important things.

The Welsh Assembley has powers of secondary legislation, which means that they are able to fill in the blanks in the legislation that is handed down to them from London, it might not sound like a lot, but it is quite powerful. For example, say the British Parliament passes a bill which says that there should be a national school curriculum (which they did), the Welsh Assembley then has the oppurtunity to fill in the gaps and decide what that curriculum should be. Whereas in England the gaps are filled in by the various ministries.

And yes, the British Parliament is always supreme. Always. There isn't a force on God's green Earth that can prevent Parliament doing whatever the hell it wants.

EU parliment is supreme (seriously)...

I wish...

The fact is that the British Parliament can pull out of the European Union at any time.

There isn't a force on God's green Earth that can prevent Parliament doing whatever the hell it wants.

Except MP's :p

Except MP's :p
Not with whipped votes.

The power to have the most stupid parliament building you could even imagine, and also to make civil laws.

I believe that existing criminal law cannot be repealed, but new laws can be created, and some things can be altered.I'm not so sure. The Scottish parliament has all powers devolved to it other than those that are reserved*. Scots Law, as a whole, is not reserved. And though parts of it are, criminal justice/law is not. However is the Scotish Parliament was to legalise murder I can imagine that it would be stripped of its powers very quickly.

*Contrast to the Welsh national assembly which has explictly devolved powers, with all others being implicitly reserved.

Not with whipped votes.

uh.. what? :confused:

I'm not so sure. The Scottish parliament has all powers devolved to it other than those that are reserved*. Scots Law, as a whole, is not reserved. And though parts of it are, criminal justice/law is not. However is the Scotish Parliament was to legalise murder I can imagine that it would be stripped of its powers very quickly.

*Contrast to the Welsh national assembly which has explictly devolved powers, with all others being implicitly reserved.
Oh, I see. I was a little unsure, to be honest, thanks for clearing it up.

uh.. what? :confused:
The government can effectively force back-benchers to vote a certain way by telling them that they'll get sacked / moved down in importance / never get promoted if they don't vote a certain way.

It's pretty terrible, to be honest.

whipped votes are votes that toe the party line, such voting is usually enforced by the party whip unless the party leadership decide to allow an open vote. people can and still do rebel but consequences can occur.

and if were going to have an english parliment canterbury would be an ideal location.

Not Birmingham, thats got the highest level of immigrants in the UK, 2nd only to London. In both cities its 'spot the white man'. from what my dad told me when he went there. 5 times. :cool:Eh? Having lived in both cities I think your dad might just be exagerating everly so slightly. There are, of 32 boroughs, only 2 that a white population below 50%, with the average being about 70% white. Even the borough that holds the vast majority of all black carribeans in the UK is still 60% white.

I do feel some odd pride that 50% of everyone who isn't white lives in London.

London should be a free city state! Screw the rest of the country leaching off the London's hard earned wealth. Especially those smarmy scots with their free university education.

Eh? Having lived in both cities I think your dad might just be exagerating everly so slightly. There are, of 32 boroughs, only 2 that a white population below 50%, with the average being about 70% white. Even the borough that holds the vast majority of all black carribeans in the UK is still 60% white.

I do feel some odd pride that 50% of everyone who isn't white lives in London.

London should be a free city state! Screw the rest of the country leaching off the London's hard earned wealth. Especially those smarmy scots with their free university education.

Oh right, ok :p

Londons hard earned wealth?? London would be nowhere without the rest of the UK

1.) What powers does the Scottish parliament have?


2.) What lawmaking powers do the members of the union(Wales, N. Ireland, Scotland, etc.) have? Can they make their own laws or is the law of of the British parliament supreme?

1) They have powers over civil law that applies only to residents of Scotland.

2) The British Parliament makes laws that affect the whole of the U.K., the constituent assemblies cannot make law that applies to the whole of the United Kingdom.

EU parliment is supreme (seriously)...

Nope, the concept of Parliamentary Sovereignty says otherwise.

We're only in the EU through an Act of Parliament, so if Parliament repeals that Act then we're not in the EU, no matter what the EU says, so Parliament remains sovereign even while we are in the EU.

Especially those smarmy scots with their free university education.
Exsqueeze me? Free education?

I wish. I still have to pay the state for my further education. The difference for the rest of the country is only that us Scottish students only have to pay fees after uni, once we’re earning a certain amount per year. I think it’s currently £15,000 p/a.

We're not spunging off the state, and certainly not spunging off jumped-upped sassanachs.

Exsqueeze me? Free education?

I wish. I still have to pay the state for my further education. The difference for the rest of the country is only that us Scottish students only have to pay fees after uni, once we’re earning a certain amount per year. I think it’s currently £15,000 p/a.

We're not spunging off the state, and certainly not spunging off jumped-upped sassanachs.

coming from the person who cant spell sponging :D j/k i agree wit u really

coming from the person who cant spell sponging :D j/k i agree wit u really
Ahh, and I thought Firefox’s spellchecker was wrong..... :(

Damn my better-than-average state schooling.

Ahh, and I thought Firefox’s spellchecker was wrong..... :(

Damn my better-than-average state schooling.

ah well, thats the scots for u. so damn arrogant. :p

Exsqueeze me? Free education?

I wish. I still have to pay the state for my further education. The difference for the rest of the country is only that us Scottish students only have to pay fees after uni, once we’re earning a certain amount per year. I think it’s currently £15,000 p/a.

We're not spunging off the state, and certainly not spunging off jumped-upped sassanachs.Eh... *checks a few websites* It would appear I was using very out of date infomation. Oh dear. How embarrassing.

But paying fees after you graduate? Well that's now the scheme for English students as well now.

... bah, well at least I don't try and show by using language that I think the other person won't understand. As far as I remember the word is derogatory and means 'not Scottish'/English.

yeah, but you could think of a more... english... place couldnt you?

You BNP piece of crap.

You are the reason that I hate England and love London. :headbang:

You racist wanker: Spot the White man

How dare you? Stay in East Anglia and don't you dare come to London or my big black scary father-in-law will eat your face....