Devolution and Regional Government

Introduction The nature of territorial management varies between countries and across time Countries invariably require more than one tier or level of government Unitary, federal and confederal states Centralised and decentralised unitary states Political and administrative devolution

“When I say history, I mean the history of Britain, and when I say Britain, I mean England, and when I say England, I mean place not too far from London.” (Parson Thwackum, in ‘Tom Jones’ by Henry Fielding, 1740) Regionalisation and devolution are not new, not confined to the UK. Many European states have been introducing political decentralisation. Administrative devolution and regional governance are well-established and reflect policy uniformity with administrative diversity Devolution is a peculiarly British conception of how power can be divided territorially in a state

Devolution in the United Kingdom UK territorial management has always been distinctive reflecting the nature of the state Defining the unit of analysis – what is the UK? the UK is NOT the same as Great Britain or the British Isles the UK is sometimes referred to as ‘Britain’ a multi-national unitary (‘union’) state 2 kingdoms (England and Scotland) a principality (Wales) a province (Northern Ireland) EXCLUDES Isle of Man and Channel Islands

Crown Dependencies but not part of the UK Isle of Man Channel Islands

Ireland’s relationship to/within the UK and its component parts forged the overall settlement. Gladstone spoke of ‘local patriotism’ in the UK Regional and national distinctiveness based on longstanding cultural, linguistic, economic, social, identity and administrative differences Three attempts at overhauling UK territorial management (1880-1920, 1960-79 & 1997-now) In future, leading alternative scenarios include: Return to the status quo ante Extension of devolution Federalisation of the UK Independence and break up of the UK

Arguments against devolution National Unity Uniformity Equality Prosperity Bureaucratisation Cost

Arguments for devolution Participation Responsiveness Legitimacy Liberty Subsidiarity

There are party differences in how to handle ‘territorial management’ Liberal Democrats strongly pro-devolution and favour federalisation of the UK Labour traditionally cautious but generally in favour today albeit within limits. Conservatives traditionally against  

Scottish Nationalists see devolution as a prelude to full independence for Scotland Welsh Nationalists see devolution as a way of preserving and protecting Welsh interests NI Unionists see devolution as a way of preserving the Union with Great Britain NI Nationalists/Republicans saw devolution as entrenching Unionist domination but now see it as a means of local power-sharing, pending ‘reunification’ of Ireland at a future date  

Since May 1997, the constitutional structure of the UK has been transformed into an asymmetric model of multi-level governance: Scottish Parliament Welsh Assembly Northern Ireland Assembly (sometimes!) Greater London Authority Rolling programme of regional government in England New intergovernmental institutions required to broker and relations between Westminster and the devolved bodies and to adjudicate in disputes  

Scotland/Alba

Devolution in Scotland 1603 – Union of English and Scottish Crowns 1707 – Parliamentary Union with England 1885 – Scottish Office created 1979 – Scottish referendum – no devolution 1997 – Scottish referendum 74.3% back Scottish parliament 63.5% back tax-varying powers 60.4% turnout. 1998 – Scotland Bill receives Royal Assent 1999 – Scottish Parliament elected with Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition

Scottish Parliament Unicameral legislature Not sovereign - subordinate to Westminster Quadrennial elections 129 members – 73 constituency and 56 list MSPs Additional member electoral system Primary legislative power in all transferred matters Fiscal power to vary basic level of income tax by 3 pence in the pound from the rest of the UK. Evidence of high-profile policy divergences from UK government

Wales/Cymru

Devolution in Wales 1536 - Incorporated under English administration 1964 - Welsh Office created 1979 – Welsh referendum – no devolution 1979 – Scottish referendum – no devolution 1997 – Welsh referendum 50.3% back Welsh Assembly 50.1% turnout. 1998 – Government of Wales Bill receives Royal Assent 1999 – Welsh Assembly elected with minority Labour administration

Welsh Assembly Unicameral assembly Not sovereign - subordinate to Westminster Quadrennial elections 60 members – 40 constituency and 20 list MSPs Additional member electoral system Secondary legislation in transferred matters All primary legislation remains in London No fiscal powers to levy taxation Discretion over Welsh public expenditure Evidence of high-profile policy divergences from UK government

Devolution in London 1986 - Abolition of Greater London 1997 - Reconstitution of Greater London as a political entity, with a Greater London Authority to consist of a Mayor and a 25 strong Assembly. 1998 – Referendum. 72% voted in favour of the GLA but on a turnout of only 34% GLA – Budget of £3.3 billion; manages a range of pan-London functions such as Planning and Transport; and oversees agencies such as the London Development Agency and the Cultural Strategy Group for London.

Ken Livingstone The Mayor of London

England

Devolution & English Regions Three types of governmental agencies in English region since 1994 Government Offices for the Regions Regional Development Agencies Regional Chambers since Labour’s White Paper on Regional Government (2002) Regional Assemblies referendums in 3 regions of northern England (North East, North West, and Yorkshire & the Humber) planned for October 2004 but only one proceeded – and was defeated. Major implications for local government

Impact at the Centre Creation of new Cabinet Committees: Constitutional reform Policy (CRP) and Devolution Policy (DP); creation in most Whitehall departments of Devolution Units or Constitution Units to advise the rest of the department and liaise with devolved administrations Creation of new intergovernmental machinery: Joint Ministerial Committee on Devolution; British-Irish Council; and British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference ‘Concordats’ regulate relations between centre and devolved governments Scottish and Welsh Offices abolished in 1999 and replaced by the Scotland Office and Wales Office – in the long-run, all the territorial offices may merge.  

The ‘West Lothian’ Question Scottish MPs in Westminster vote on English policy when English MPs are excluded from voting on the same issues that, in Scotland, are the province of the Scottish parliament. Alternatives are unjust or unworkable Underweight representation of MPs from devolved territories 'in and out' option an English parliament devolved regional government in England Nightmare scenario Over representation

Labour for & against Devolution Donald Dewar / Tam Dalyell

Possible Problems Clashes between the devolved assemblies and the Westminster Parliament – who prevails? ‘Blame London’ - tendency for devolved administrations to press for more powers and resources from London and to apportion blame Asymmetrical devolution – calls for regularisation and equalisation of devolution Fair shares? - Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each receive higher amounts of public funding per capita than England (under the Barnett Formula).

Clashes between first ministers and the residual Secretaries of State in the UK Cabinet Snowball effect - devolution whets the appetite for more devolution and ultimate independence. Disproportionate representation of Scots and Welsh MPs at Westminster – the West Lothian Q. Dealings with Europe Uniformity versus diversity – ‘national’ standards or local choice? Devolution can entail local government losing powers upwards, thereby undermining local democracy  

Conclusions Internal and external pressures have shaped and accelerated regionalisation in the UK Sovereignty is no longer a black and white issue but has been cast in terms of overlapping spheres of influence – multi-level governance Regions and nations are seeking more control over their own destinies Devolution is the UK’s preferred approach to the reform of its internal territorial management but remains a ‘process, not an event’.