How has devolution changed the way the UK is governed?
The development of devolution in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, the powers of the devolved bodies, the impact of devolution on the UK constitution, and the debates over further devolution and the future of the Union.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Politics on the development and powers of devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, devolution within England, its impact on the UK constitution, and the debate over further devolution and the Union.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to explain how devolution developed across the UK after 1997, describe the powers held by the devolved bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, explain the position of England, assess the impact of devolution on the UK constitution, and evaluate the debate over further devolution and the future of the Union.
What is devolution?
Devolution followed referendums in 1997 (Scotland and Wales) and 1998 (Northern Ireland), implemented by the Scotland Act 1998, the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
The devolved bodies
- Scotland: the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has primary legislative power over devolved matters (health, education, justice, the environment, local government) and, after the Scotland Acts of 2012 and 2016, significant tax-varying powers over income tax rates and bands, plus control of some welfare. It is the most powerful devolved body, and divergence is visible in free university tuition and free personal care for the elderly.
- Wales: the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) began in 1999 with only secondary, executive powers but progressively gained primary law-making powers after the 2011 referendum and the Wales Act 2017, moving towards a reserved-powers model closer to Scotland's.
- Northern Ireland: the Assembly at Stormont operates a mandatory power-sharing executive under the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement 1998, designed so that unionist and nationalist parties govern together with cross-community consent. It has been suspended several times when the two communities could not agree, exposing the fragility of consociational government.
Devolved funding largely comes from a block grant from Westminster, allocated through the Barnett formula, which links changes in devolved budgets to changes in comparable English spending. This keeps the devolved bodies fiscally dependent on the centre even where they have some tax-varying power, a recurring source of grievance.
England and the West Lothian question
England is the only UK nation without its own legislature. This raises the West Lothian question: why should Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs vote on English-only matters at Westminster when English MPs cannot vote on devolved matters? Attempts to answer it have included English Votes for English Laws (2015 to 2021) and a patchwork of regional mayors and combined authorities.
Impact on the constitution and the Union
Devolution has made the UK quasi-federal in practice: substantial self-government for the nations, but with legal sovereignty still residing at Westminster, restrained by the Sewel Convention that Westminster does not normally legislate on devolved matters without the devolved legislature's consent. It has reshaped party politics, strengthening the SNP and Plaid Cymru and shifting the centre of gravity in Scottish and Welsh politics away from Westminster parties. It also fuelled the debate over Scottish independence: the 2014 referendum saw 55% vote to remain in the UK, but the question has not gone away, and tensions over Brexit (which Scotland voted against) sharpened it. The settlement is therefore dynamic, with continuing pressure for further devolution and unresolved questions about England and the future of the Union.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20189 marksExplain and analyse three powers held by the devolved governments of the UK. (Paper 1, Section A, short-answer)Show worked answer →
Three distinct powers, each defined, illustrated and analysed.
One: primary legislation over devolved matters such as health and education. Scotland and Wales pass their own laws here. Analyse that this creates real policy divergence (free university tuition in Scotland) while reserved matters stay at Westminster.
Two: tax-varying powers. The Scotland Acts of 2012 and 2016 gave Holyrood power over income tax rates and bands. Analyse that fiscal devolution deepens autonomy but is still bounded by the block grant and the Barnett formula.
Three: control of public services and devolved administration, including the NHS in each nation and local justice in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Analyse the asymmetry, since each nation holds a different set of powers.
Markers reward three clearly different powers, accurate examples, and analysis of the asymmetry and the reserved or devolved boundary.
AQA 202120 marksEvaluate the view that devolution has been a success for the UK. (Adapted from Paper 1, Section C essay; 25-mark essay rescoped to 20.)Show worked answer →
A balanced essay with a sustained judgement and developed arguments on both sides.
For success: it brought government closer to citizens, allowed policy divergence suited to each nation, helped deliver peace in Northern Ireland through power-sharing, and accommodated national identity within the Union.
Against success: it is asymmetric and leaves the West Lothian question unresolved, has fuelled rather than settled Scottish independence demands, suffers instability (repeated suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly), and creates tension over funding and competence.
Markers reward a clear line of argument, named examples, weighing of the two sides, and a justified conclusion. AO3 (evaluation) carries the most weight.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA A-level Politics (7152) specification — AQA (2017)