The Scotland Act 1978 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) seeking to establish a Scottish Assembly as a devolved legislature for Scotland. The key difference between the failed Scotland Act 1978 and the successful Scotland Act 1998 is that under the 1978 legislation a very limited number of powers would have been specifically devolved to Scotland, whereas under the 1998 legislation it is the powers reserved to Westminster which are prescribed and limited: everything else not mentioned in the Act is automatically the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... A devolved Scottish Assembly that would have some form of legislative powers in jurisdiction over Scotland was a long-held political priority for many individuals and organisations. ... Devolution or home rule is the granting of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... Travel guide to Scotland from Wikitravel Transport in Scotland Timeline of Scottish history Caledonia List of not fully sovereign nations Subdivisions of Scotland National parks (Scotland) Traditional music of Scotland Flower of Scotland Wars of Scottish Independence National Trust for Scotland Historic houses in Scotland Castles in Scotland Museums in... The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ... The Scottish Parliament (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba in Gaelic, Scots Pairlament in Scots) is the national unicameral legislature of Scotland. ...

Background

Following Winnie Ewing's groundbreaking win for the Scottish National Party in the Hamilton by-election, 1967, the United Kingdom government responded to the growing support for Scottish independence by setting up the Royal Commission on the Constitution, better known as the the Kilbrandon Commission (1969-1973). In response to the Royal Commission's report, the Labour government brought forward proposals to establish a Scottish Assembly. In November 1977 a Scotland Bill providing for the establishment of a Scottish Assembly was introduced; it received its Royal Assent on 31 July 1978. Winnie Ewing (born July 10, 1929) is a prominent Scottish nationalist and was formerly a Member of Parliament (MP), Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP). ... In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... Walter Thomas Monningtons 1925 painting called Parliamentary Union of England and Scotland 1707 hangs in the Palace of Westminster depicting the official presentation of the law that formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain. ... The Labour Party is the principal centre-left political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, or the Sovereigns representative in Commonwealth Realms, completes the process of the enactment of legislation by formally assenting to an Act of Parliament. ... July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining, as the final day of July. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ...

The controversial "40%" rule

In 1978 the Scotland Act was passed by the House of Commons, legislating for a Scottish Assembly, but the Act included a requirement for a post-legislative referendum: the Scotland referendum, 1979, held on 1 March 1979. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and is now the dominant branch of Parliament. ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... The Scotland referendum of 1979 was a post-legislative referendum held in Scotland only, over whether there was support for Scotland Act 1978, which if passed would have created an assembly for Scotland. ...

An unique amendment carried during its parliamentary passage required that, rather than a standard simple majority, if less than 40% of the registered Scottish electorate voted in favour of its provisions, an Order of Parliament repealing the Act would be introduced. Amendment has at least two meanings: An amendment is a formal alteration to any official document or record, typically with the aim of improving it. ... A simple majority is the most common requirement in voting for a measure to pass, especially in deliberative bodies and small organizations. ... A repeal is the removal or reversal of a law. ...

In the end 1,230,937 (51.6%) voted in favour of an Assembly, a majority in excess of 77,000, but this represented only 32.9% of the total registered electorate. The British government rejected the referendum because the condition that 40% of the total electorate should vote Yes was not met, and the Act was repealed by Order on 26 July 1979. A majority is a subset of a group that is more than half of the entire group. ...

Collapse of the Labour government

The Scotland Act 1978 was repealed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in March 1979, by a vote of 301-206 in the House of Commons, initiating the collapse of the Labour government in the subsequent vote of no-confidence. This page refers to the year 1979. ... The Labour Party is the principal centre-left political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ...

The successful Scotland Act twenty years later

In 1998 the Scotland Act 1998 was passed establishing the Scottish Parliament. The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ... The Scottish Parliament (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba in Gaelic, Scots Pairlament in Scots) is the national unicameral legislature of Scotland. ...

See also

• Scottish Constitutional Convention
• United Kingdom general election, 1979

The Scottish Constitutional Convention (SCC) was established after prominent Scottish individuals signed the Claim of Right in 1989. ... The UK general election, 1979 was held on May 3, 1979 and is regarded as a pivotal point in 20th century British politics. ...

External links

• Chapter 1, Events Prior to 1 May 1997, The 1979 Referendum, The Holyrood Inquiry