This 2009 publication was the first book about the new Scottish Parliament. It brought together a distinguished group of parliamentarians, commentators and academics to review the achievements, limits and challenges of the new Scottish Parliament after its first ten years.

The Scottish Parliament 1999-2009: The First Decade is a collection of essays by leading figures edited by Professors Charlie Jeffery and James Mitchell. In reviewing the first 10 years of the new Parliament’s existence, across a wide range of topics, the book tackled key questions including:

  • To what extent have the founding principles for the Scottish Parliament set out by the Consultative Steering Group been delivered - access and participation, equal opportunities, accountability and power-sharing?
  • Has the Parliament changed how politics is done in Scotland?
  • Has the Parliament matured into an effective legislative body?
  • Have relationships between government, the Parliament and outside stakeholders in local government, interest groups and quangos been improved?
  • What’s the view from Westminster?
  • How does the Scottish Parliament fit into the UK’s changing constitutional architecture?

Table of contents

  • Foreword Alex Fergusson MSP, Presiding Officer, Scottish Parliament
    • Chapter 1 Introduction: The First Decade in Perspective Emma Megaughin and Charlie Jeffery
  • The Parliament in Practice
    • Chapter 2 A Dozen Differences of Devolution Lord Steel of Aikwood
    • Chapter 3 Committees in the Scottish Parliament Chris Carman and Mark Shephard
    • Chapter 4 The Legislative Process: The Parliament in Practice James Johnston
    • Chapter 5 The New Scottish Statute Book: The Scottish Parliament’s Legislative Record since 1999 Michael Keating and Paul Cairney
  • The Founding Principles
    • Chapter 6 Access and Participation: Aiming High Bill Thomson
    • Chapter 7 Travelling the Distance? Equal Opportunities and the Scottish Parliament Fiona Mackay
    • Chapter 8 Parliamentary Accountability: Aspiration or Reality? Chris Himsworth
    • Chapter 9 The Principle of Power-Sharing, 10 Years On Joyce McMillan
  • Representative Process
    • Chapter 10 The Scottish Parliament Electoral System: Can Credibility be Restored? Nicola McEwen
    • Chapter 11 New Parliament, New Elections James Mitchell and Robert Johns
    • Chapter 12 Do Devolved Elections Work? John Curtice
    • Chapter 13 Conundrums and Contradictions: What Scotland Wants David McCrone
  • Stakeholders
    • Chapter 14 New Scottish Parliament, Same Old Interest Group Politics? Paul Cairney, Darren Halpin and Grant Jordan
    • Chapter 15 Civil Society and the Parliament Lindsay Paterson
    • Chapter 16 The Media and Parliament Brian McNair
    • Chapter 17 Centre and Locality in Scottish Politics: From Bi- to Tri-partite Relations Neil McGarvey
    • Chapter 18 Quangos, Agencies and the Scottish Parliament Richard Parry
  • The View from Elsewhere
    • Chapter 19 The Scottish Parliament as seen from London Peter Riddell
    • Chapter 20 Opening Doors: Devolution in Wales and the Scottish Parliament, 1999-2009 Alan Trench
  • Futures
    • Chapter 21 The Scottish Parliament, Constitutional Change and the UK’s Haphazard Union Charlie Jeffery

Enjoy reading this? Please consider sharing it

Latest

Erskine May online
blog / 04.07.19

Freeing ‘Erskine May’: getting the authoritative guide to Parliament’s procedures and practice online

‘Erskine May’, the authoritative guide to Parliament’s procedures and practice, went online on 2 July. The move has significant implications for democratic transparency and for Parliament’s interaction with the public. Here, one of the editors of the new edition, Clerk of the Journals Mark Hutton, explains why and how the innovation came about.

Freeing ‘Erskine May’: getting the authoritative guide to Parliament’s procedures and practice online
Pound coins
blog / 02.07.19

Power of the Purse: what is the Estimates process and how does it work?

Some backbench MPs are seeking to use House of Commons approval of the government’s Main Estimates for 2019-20 as a vehicle against a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, meaning the process is attracting greater interest than usual. We set out how the Estimates process works, how it has changed over the years, and how it could be improved in the future.

Power of the Purse: what is the Estimates process and how does it work?
40th Anniversary of the creation of Departmental Select Committees
blog / 01.07.19

The increased stature of select committees and their chairs: reflections by Harriet Harman MP

On the 40th anniversary of the creation of departmental select committees, Harriet Harman, the longest continuously-serving woman MP, offers some personal reflections on the growing importance of select committees and their chairs, particularly at a time of considerable political instability.

The increased stature of select committees and their chairs: reflections by Harriet Harman MP
Sunset over Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster
blog / 11.06.19

Waiting for who? House of Commons business before the summer recess

The focus is on what might happen at the end of the pre-summer Commons sitting period now underway – rightly, given its potential political and constitutional significance. But the dearth of government legislative business means the six weeks before then could present opportunities for the opposition, backbenchers and select committees, including on Brexit.

Waiting for who? House of Commons business before the summer recess
Prev
Next