The Scottish Parliament 1999-2009: The First Decade

Publications / Reports

The Scottish Parliament 1999-2009: The First Decade

1 Jan 2009

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?

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

Latest / Highlights

News / Assisted dying bill: Special series #10 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 89

Having cleared detailed scrutiny in a Public Bill Committee, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill faces its next crucial test when it returns to the House of Commons for Report Stage on 16 May. This stage is often where Private Members' Bills falter. Will opponents of Kim Leadbeater’s proposals to legalise assisted dying win enough support to amend the Bill? Can supporters of the Bill fend off attempts to change it? And could the Bill be lost altogether, because of the procedural hurdles that still stand in its way?

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 28 April - 2 May 2025

MPs will debate the Football Governance Bill for the first time and consider controversial proposals to give government access to benefit recipients’ bank data in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. The Great British Energy Bill faces a further hurdle over modern slavery concerns in solar panel supply chains. Orders on extended VE Day pub hours and banning ‘ninja swords’ will be considered. David Lammy and Shabana Mahmood face committee scrutiny, while Richard Foord seeks to require parliamentary approval for a UK–US trade deal. Mayors Andy Burnham and Kim McGuinness will give evidence on industrial strategy, and Dr Fiona Hill will speak about social mobility and education.

News / Should Parliament roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 88

After Parliament’s rare Saturday sitting to pass the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill with minimal scrutiny, we explore concerns about rushed legislation and unchecked ministerial powers. The Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle faces criticism for allegedly protecting Keir Starmer at PMQs. Meanwhile, as MPs and Peers move to block a possible Trump address to Parliament during his second UK State Visit, we discuss who controls invitations to speak and where on the parliamentary estate.

Submissions / Evidence to the House of Commons Modernisation Committee: Priorities and strategic aims

In response to the Modernisation Committee's call for views on 17 October 2024, we submitted evidence outlining key areas we believe the Committee should prioritise. Our submission recommended a focus on: strengthening legislative scrutiny, with particular emphasis on reforming the delegated legislation system; enhancing financial scrutiny, especially in relation to the Budget and the Estimates; addressing strategic gaps in parliamentary scrutiny; making more effective use of parliamentary time; and reviewing the Standing Orders, language and rituals of the House of Commons.

Briefings / The Assisted Dying Bill: A guide to the Private Member's Bill process

This briefing explains what to watch for during the Second Reading debate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29 November. It outlines the procedural and legislative issues that will come into play: the role of the Chair in managing the debate and how procedures such as the 'closure' and 'reasoned amendments' work. It looks ahead to the Committee and Report stage procedures that will apply if the Bill progresses beyond Second Reading. It also examines the government's responsibilities, such as providing a money resolution for the Bill and preparing an Impact Assessment, while addressing broader concerns about the adequacy of Private Members’ Bill procedures for scrutinising controversial issues.