Devolution in United Kingdom
Definition of Devolution
In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Devolution :
1. The delegation by the central government to a regional authority of legislative or executive functions (or both) relating to domestic issues within the regio The word is most commonly used in the context of such functions in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. For example, the Scotland Act 1998 devolved power to the *Scottish Parliament, enabling it to make certain Acts in some areas of policy and to alter income tax. However, the UK parliament reserved power to make laws for Scotland. The Government of Wales Act 1998 gave limited administrative powers to the *Welsh Assembly with the UK parliament continuing to legislate for Wales. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 established an elected *Northern Ireland Assembly but made devolution of power to the Assembly conditional on the decommissioning of arms by paramilitary groups. The Northern Ireland Act 2000 enables power to revert to the UK parliament upon failure to decommission arms, suspending the Northern Ireland Assembly until the Secretary of State makes a restoration order.
2. The passing of property from one owner to another, which may occur on death or sale, as a gift, by operation of law, or in any other way.
Devolution (of policing and justice) in North Ireland
Devolution is the transfer of Whitehall powers to local Assemblies.
Powers relating to policing and justice now come under the Department of Justice whose Minister was elected by cross-community vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Resources
See Also
Further Reading
- Devolution in the Encyclopedia of Britain
- Devolution in the Osborn’s Concise Law Dictionary
- Devolution in the Halsbury’s Laws of England
- Devolution in the Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary of Words and Phrases
- Devolution in the Jowitt’s Dictionary of English Law
- Devolution in the New Oxford Companion to Law
- Devolution in the Words and Phrases Legally Defined
- Devolution in the Oxford Dictionary of Law
Devolution Meaning, as used in the UK Parliament
Devolution is the decentralisation of governmental power. Examples of devolution are the powers granted to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly and to the Greater London and Local Authorities.
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