What is devolution ?
Devolution is the process by which the Westminster Parliament grants some powers to other regions, such as Scotland and Wales. The Westminster Parliament is based in London and it makes laws applicable to the whole of Great Britain. This transfer of power from Westminster to Scotland and Wales does not mean total independence, but simply a degree of autonomy on certain issues.
The history of devolution
The nationalist parties Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party supported decentralisation of power, while republicans in Northern Ireland ask for independence. In the period that ran from the 1960s to 1999, there were several attempts and referenda to push towards the creation of a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly, that were eventually adopted in 1999. After a first failed attempt in 1978, the Blair government offered another opportunity in the wake of the 1997 election to grant the Scottish and Welsh nations some more local authority. Both voted in favour of such measures.
The 1998 Government of Wales Act established the Assembly of Wales based in Cardiff. There are 60 Assembly members responsible for a significant budget linked to Welsh education, health, economic development, local government, housing, transport, agriculture, culture, tourism and the Welsh language. However they cannot raise new taxes. Wales continues to elect 40 MPs parallel to that.
The 1998 Scotland Act established the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. There are 129 members of the Scottish Parliament debating Scottish education, health, housing, transport, prisons, the environment and agriculture, and all subsequent domestic policies.
Differences between the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly
The Scottish Parliament has more power than the Welsh Assembly, as it can make primary and secondary legislation, and raise or lower income taxation rates by up to 3 %. It has often more left-wing policies than in the rest of the UK, especially concerning education and social services. Scotland still has different education and judicial systems, and it still elects 59 MPs to Westminster.
In the devolved system, Westminster (i.e. the UK Parliament) still retains the power to decide for matters related to the whole country, such as the constitution, defence, energy, foreign affairs, immigration, currency, etc.
