Scotland Act 1998

The Scotland Act 1998 is a law passed by the UK Parliament. It created the Scottish Parliament, which makes some laws for Scotland and can change some taxes. It also created the Scottish Government.

This law is one of the biggest changes to Scotland's constitutional position since 1707, when Scotland and England joined to become Great Britain.

People in Scotland voted in 1997 to have their own parliament with tax powers. The 1998 Act made this happen.

The Act says what the Scottish Parliament can and cannot make laws about. Things the Scottish Parliament cannot make laws about are called "reserved matters." The UK Parliament can still make laws for Scotland on any issue.

The Act also created the Scottish Executive, which is now called the Scottish Government. It is led by the First Minister.[1]

If there are disagreements about what laws the Scottish Parliament can make, the UK's highest court, the Supreme Court, makes the final decision. The UK government can also stop a Scottish law from going ahead in some cases.[2]

The powers of the Scottish Parliament and Government can be changed over time if both the Scottish and UK Parliaments agree.

The Scotland Act became law on the 17 November 1998. The first Scottish Parliament elections were in May 1999, and the Parliament started working on the 1 July 1999.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Scotland Act 1998". www.legislation.gov.uk. Expert Participation. Retrieved 2025-05-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ↑ "Constitutional Reform Act 2005". www.legislation.gov.uk. Expert Participation. Retrieved 2025-05-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 Nov 1998 (pt 5)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
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