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

UK and EU flags superimposed on top of the Houses of Parliament.
publications / briefings / 2019

‘Retained EU law’: issues for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill

Coming on top of the controversial introduction of the concept of ‘retained EU law’ in the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the provisions for an implementation / transition period in the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement pose challenges for UK law that the promised Withdrawal Agreement Bill will need to address, including through amendments to the 2018 Act.

‘Retained EU law’: issues for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill
Social media icons
blog / 17.05.19

People who use social media for politics skew Labour and Remain, but Leave is winning the Twitter war

Data from the 2019 Audit of Political Engagement and Twitter show that, among people who use social media for politics, Labour is over-represented relative to Conservatives, and Remainers relative to Leavers – but, in the European elections run-up, content from the Brexit Party is shared more than content from the ‘Remain’ parties combined.

People who use social media for politics skew Labour and Remain, but Leave is winning the Twitter war
Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, in scaffolding
blog / 13.05.19

The Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill: Two steps forward, one step back?

The long-delayed rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster has taken two large steps forward with the publication of key legislation and a public consultation on plans for the House of Commons’ temporary accommodation. However, concerns and confusion remain around the roles of both the government and the public in the R&R programme.

The Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill: Two steps forward, one step back?
Houses of Parliament, Westminster, UK
publications / submissions / 2019

Evidence to the House of Commons Liaison Committee: The effectiveness and influence of the select committee system

In our April 2019 submission to the House of Commons Liaison Committee inquiry into the select committee system, we made wide-ranging recommendations including a review of the select committee core tasks, and a restructuring of the system to provide for improved scrutiny of delegated legislation and legislative standards and to accommodate post-Brexit needs.

Evidence to the House of Commons Liaison Committee: The effectiveness and influence of the select committee system
Prev
Next