Overview of decision-making in the UK
The United Kingdom is a democracy. A democracy is where the people choose their government.
In the UK, there are too many people to ask and too many decisions to take so representatives are elected to make these decisions. Representatives include:
- Members of Parliament (MPs)
- Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
- Local councillors
Why is Scotland represented at two parliaments?
Watch this video to learn about devolution and why Scotland is represented at two parliaments.
Why are there two parliaments in Scotland?
Scotland has been part of the UK since 1707 but has always kept its own identify. For example, Scotland shares its language and currency with the rest of the UK but has different legal and education systems.
When was the Scottish Parliament set up?
As Scotland is part of the UK, some of the decisions about what happens in Scotland are made at the UK Parliament at Westminster, London. However, since 1999, some decisions for Scotland have been taken at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh.
The Scottish Parliament was set up after four decades of campaigning and a referendum. A process called devolution set up the Parliament and gave it power to make decisons affecting Scotland on some issues. These are called devolved matters.