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ScotlandModern StudiesQuick questions
Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
Quick questions on The Scottish Parliament and Government - SQA National 5 Modern Studies
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the Scottish Parliament?Show answer
The Scottish Parliament has 129 MSPs elected under the Additional Member System. It meets at Holyrood in Edinburgh and has three main functions: to pass laws on devolved matters, to represent the people of Scotland, and to scrutinise (check) the Scottish Government. It is led by the Presiding Officer, who chairs debates impartially.
What is the Scottish Government?Show answer
The Scottish Government is formed by the party (or coalition) with the most support in Parliament. It is led by the First Minister, who is nominated by Parliament and chooses a cabinet of cabinet secretaries and junior ministers to run departments such as health, education and justice. The Government proposes most new laws (bills) and makes day-to-day decisions on devolved policy.
What is the roles of an MSP?Show answer
A Member of the Scottish Parliament has several roles:
What is q1?Show answer
How many MSPs are there, and what voting system elects them? [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Name two ways Parliament can hold the Government to account. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Explain the difference between the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government. [4 marks]
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