Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: The Scots Pairlament)[2][3][4][5] is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood",[6] is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Members are elected for four-year terms under the additional member system. The original Parliament of Scotland (or "Estates of Scotland") was the national legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland, and existed from the early 13th century until the Kingdom of Scotland merged with the Kingdom of England under the Acts of Union 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.[8] As a consequence, both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England ceased to exist, and the Parliament of Great Britain, which sat at Westminster in London[8] was formed. History of the Scottish parliament[edit]
Scotland's Referendum 2014 | Scotland’s Future – Your Guide to an Independent Scotland On 18 September 2014 you will be asked to vote in a referendum on the question: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ The Scottish Government believes you should vote Yes. This guide sets out the gains of independence for Scotland – whichever party is in government – and this Government’s vision and priorities for action if we are the first government of an independent Scotland. It also explains the process by which Scotland will become independent following a Yes vote and how our newly independent Scotland will work. Scotland has many natural advantages. The foundations of our economy are strong. We have a talented population with many world-class businesses and institutions. Through devolution, the people of Scotland have experienced some of the benefits of independence. The Scottish Parliament has protected the NHS from privatisation and restored our tradition of free education. In detail, this guide sets out: The case for independence Scotland can afford to be independent.
Scottish Parliament - About my vote, produced by The Electoral Commission What does it do? The Scottish Parliament represents the people of Scotland and has the power to make decisions and pass laws in the following areas: Economic developmentEducation and trainingThe environmentFarming, fisheries and forestryHealth and social servicesHousingLaw and orderLocal governmentPolice and fire servicesPlanningSport and the artsTourism. These are called devolved matters. How is it made up? There are 129 elected Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and, if you live in Scotland, you are represented by eight of them. The Scottish Executive is the government in Scotland and is responsible for all devolved matters. How is it elected? When you vote in a Scottish Parliament election, you have two votes – one to elect your constituency member and one to elect your regional member. In the constituency ballot, the candidate with the largest number of votes is elected. When is it elected? Elections for the Scottish Parliament take place every four years. Share this page
Scotland | £414m bill for Holyrood building The final cost of the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood has been put at £414.4m. MSPs were given a final report on the "Holyrood Project" which showed that the price tag was some £16m cheaper than expected. Presiding officer George Reid also announced that the building's contractors will not be sued over construction delays. The constuction of the Holyrood complex has been formally declared complete. However, Mr Reid said legal action would be taken to recover the costs of a broken beam in the main chamber. The most recent estimate of the building costs had been £430.5m. Bill Aitken MSP, Scottish Conservative chief whip, said nobody had come out of the row over the Scottish Parliament with any great credit. "But at least some sort of grip was eventually exercised. An inquiry into the problems with the construction of the building was held by Tory peer Lord Fraser. He found systemic failures but no single "villain of the piece". 'Steely determination' New building
Five books to read on Scottish independence The stone had, briefly, returned home in the early Fifties when it was stolen from under the throne at Westminster Abbey by Scottish patriots; but it was sent back to London in time for the coronation in 1953. Now, 800 years after it was plundered, the stone was being piped over the border to apparent indifference. “In spite of all the carefully staged parading and heraldry, the sheer lack of popular enthusiasm was impressive,” wrote Neal Ascherson in his classic history-cum-memoir Stone Voices, published in 2003. The reason, Ascherson said, was that Scotland had come to define itself by the larcenous absence of the stone. Its significance to Scots became that of wrongfully acquired property. Could this be the principal motive behind the drive for Scottish separation from the Union – a burning sense of grievance at the historic perfidy of the English? Colley’s thesis is that Britishness as a form of national expression is as indigenous to Scotland as it is to England and Wales.
Scottish Parliament - Yesterday and Today - The Early Years The Earliest TimesIn medieval times, the concept of a "parliament" would have been unheard of at a time when clan chiefs or minor kings ruled without question. There may have been groups of elders who gave "advice" but the leader of the society was often there by force of arms. After the Norman Conquest in England in 1066, the principle of king and vassals was reinforced. But the Normans did have a concept of a gathering of the most important nobles - though a strong king did not need to listen to them. When Charles I visited Scotland in 1633 (for the one and only time) he attended Parliament, sitting on a raised dais and overseeing the proceedings.
Scottish Parliament Photos, Holyrood Building Images, Scottish Parliament Pictures Aerial Images by webbaviation, 22 Oct 2009: Scottish Parliament Photographs from 2007 by architect Adrian Welch: building photos © Adrian Welch 2007 taken with lumix camera Scottish Parliament Photographs from 2006 by architect Adrian Welch: building photos © Adrian Welch 2006 taken with lumix camera More Scottish Parliament Photographs All images above available at 2816 x 2112 size ie 99.34cm x 74.51cm, 72dpi info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk or 01620 825722 / 07952 149814 Photographs © Adrian Welch Scottish Parliament – Architecture Scottish Parliament Building – Tours Edinburgh Walking Tours – these can include a visit to the building & description of the exterior: Contact Isabelle Lomholt on 01620 825722 / 07952 149814 Scottish Parliament Architecture – Tours: Visit and try to understand the Enric Miralles legacy – check with the Scottish Parliament: Contact on 0131 348 5000 or 0845 278 1999 Debating Chamber access depends on parliamentary business Scottish Parliament Architect – Enric Miralles
Scottish Parliament Scottish Parliament Holyrood Edinburgh EH99 1SP Completed three years late, and some £390 million over budget, the Scottish Parliament was finally opened by the queen on 9 October 2004. Comprising of several buildings and an extensive garden area, the Parliament is located at the foot of the Royal Mile, on the edge of Holyrood Park (the Parliament is often referred to as "Holyrood"). The building houses 129 MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) and more than 1,000 staff and civil servants. The first meeting of the new Scottish Parliament took place on 12th May 1999, years before the opening of the building itself. The devolved Scottish parliament building has been surrounded by controversy from the 1990s when the building was being planned. Critics and academics have praised the Miralles design for the bold and imaginative vision of the building which Miralles said "should arise from the sloping base of Arthur's Seat and arrive into the city almost surging out of the rock."
Holyrood visitor figures hit the heights - News & Media Centre : Scottish Parliament Visitor numbers to Holyrood hit a high of more than 400,000 in 2009. The news came as the Scottish Parliament opened its doors for the first time in 2010 – the building re-opened to the public at 10am on Monday 4 January. A grand total of 420,982 people visited Holyrood between 1 January to 31 December 2009 – drawn in by free tours of the building, an award-winning festival and an event-filled anniversary programme. The figures mark an increase in visitor numbers of almost 27 per cent compared with the same period last year, and are only bettered by totals for 2005 – the first full year the Holyrood building opened – when 442,865 people visited. Figures also show that the number of visitors taking tours of Parliament increased by nearly 30 per cent in comparison to 2008. Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP said: "As these figures show, 2009 marked an extremely a busy year for Holyrood, especially with our 10th anniversary activities. Highlights of 2009 included: Background