Explainer: how devolution works

Image: The graphic shows the process for UK SI notifications to the Scottish Parliament

Image: What do intergovernmental relations look like in the UK?

Image: Minimum time period between stages of a Bill

Uk Government Cabinet Office . (2011, October). The Cabinet Manual . Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a79d5d7e5274a18ba50f2b6/cabinet-manual.pdf [accessed 16 April 2026]

Torrance, D. (2025, November 18). Parliamentary sovereignty. Retrieved from https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10377/ [accessed 16 April 2026]

The House of Commons Library . (2011, August 16). The Separation of Powers. Retrieved from https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06053/SN06053.pdf [accessed 16 April 2026]

Legislation.gov.uk. (1998). The Scotland Act 1998. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/46/section/1 [accessed 15 January 2026]

BBC News . (2009, June). Serving Scotland Better: Scotland and the United Kingdom in the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_06_09_calman.pdf [accessed 13 April 2026]

The Scottish Government . (2009, November). The Scottish Government Response to the Recommendations of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. Retrieved from https://www.astrid-online.it/static/upload/protected/Comm/Commission-Scottish-Devolution-Government-Response_11_2009.pdf [accessed 13 April 2026]

What now for 'the vow'?. (2014, October 1). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29443603 [accessed 18 April 2026]

nationalarchives.gov.uk. (2014, October 27). Report of the Smith Commission for further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament. Retrieved from https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20151202171059/http://www.smith-commission.scot/smith-commission-report/ [accessed 18 April 2026]

nationalarchives.gov.uk. (2015, January). Scotland in the United Kingdom: An enduring settlement. Retrieved from https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20151202171017/http://www.smith-commission.scot/ [accessed 18 April 2026]

legislation.gov.uk. (n.d.) The Scotland Act 1998. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/46/section/28 [accessed 18 April 2026]

Scottish Government . (2023, December 6). Social security in an independent Scotland. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/research-and-analysis/2023/12/social-security-independent-scotland/documents/social-security-independent-scotland-paper-9/social-security-independent-scotland-paper-9/govscot%3Adocument/social-security-independent-scotland-paper-9.pdf [accessed 18 April 2026]

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. (2023). How Devolution Is Changing Post-EU. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2023/10/24/6692fb8e-0bf0-47cd-a1ba-cff461d9395d [accessed 7 July 2025]

Legislation.gov.uk. (n.d.) Understanding legislation . Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/understanding-legislation#citationandnumbering [accessed 14 April 2026]

National Archives. (n.d.) Understanding Legislation. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/understanding-legislation [accessed 15 December 2022]

UK Parliament. (n.d.) What is Secondary Legislation?. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/secondary-legislation/ [accessed 19 December 2022]

The Scottish Parliament . (n.d.) About secondary legislation. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/about-bills/about-secondary-legislation [accessed 13 April 2026]

Hansard Society. (2023, December 5). Delegated Legislation What types are there, and how are they made? . Retrieved from https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/publications/delegated-legislation-what-types-are-there-and-how-are-they-made [accessed 18 December 2023]

The Scottish Parliament . (2021, May 5). Guidance on motions. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/chamber-office/guidance-on-motions.pdf [accessed 15 April 2026]

The Scottish Parliament, SPICe. (2024, November 5). Consent processes in the Scottish Parliament . Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/spice/factsheets/parliamentary-business/consent-processes-in-the-scottish-parliament.pdf [accessed 5 May 2026]

legislation.gov.uk. (1998). The Scotland Act 1998, section 104. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/46/section/104 [accessed 17 April 2026]

Lord Pentland , L.P. (n.d.) Judiciary of Scotland About Us . Retrieved from https://judiciary.scot/ [accessed 16 April 2026]

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service . (n.d.) Rules of Court . Retrieved from https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/rules-and-practice/rules-of-court/new-rules/ [accessed 16 April 2026]

Scottish Parliament. (2023). Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee 'How Devolution is Changing Post-EU'. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2023/10/24/6692fb8e-0bf0-47cd-a1ba-cff461d9395d

UK Government, Cabinet Office . (2012, October 1). Devolution: memorandum of understanding and supplementary agreement. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/devolution-memorandum-of-understanding-and-supplementary-agreement [accessed 17 April 2026]

Hansard Volume 377: debated on Tuesday 18 December 2001. (2001, December 18). Devolved Administrations, written answers. Retrieved from https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2001-12-18/debates/7e7c9e8c-1843-4897-8277-182a289e0691/DevolvedAdministrations [accessed 17 April 2026]

Uk Government . (2015, September 10). Devolution toolkit. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/devolution-toolkit [accessed 17 April 2026]

The Scottish Government . (2025, February 7). Third bi-annial Scottish Government REUL update . Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2025/third-biannual-reul-act-report--letter-to-ceeac-convener--february-2025.pdf#page=4 [accessed 17 April 2026]

legislation.gov.uk. (2021, March 15). The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2021. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2021/141/regulation/2/made [accessed 17 April 2026]

legislation.gov.uk. (2021, January 29). Section 10, UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2021/4/section/10 [accessed 17 April 2026]

Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations). (2017, October 16). JOINT MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE (EU NEGOTIATIONS) COMMUNIQUE. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/652285/Joint_Ministerial_Committee_communique.pdf [accessed 13 November 2025]

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Scottish Parliament . (2026, March 17). Transparency of intergovernmental activity and its implications for parliamentary scrutinySHARE . Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2026/3/17/70658a2e-1fd6-45d5-aa1e-1f4b78a31992#60e32d4f-d6ca-4258-b2bd-e2cdd59cf080.dita [accessed 18 March 2026]

UK Government. (2025, July 25). UK Government response to the Review of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and Public Consultation. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686fa10e2cfe301b5fb679d0/uk-government-response-to-the-review-of-the-united-kingdom-internal-market-act-2020-and-public-consultation.pdf

The Scottish Parliament . (2026, March 24). Legacy Report of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, Session 6SHARE . Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2026/3/24/e019190f-b6f7-4770-8a71-4634751f3adb#ef56aaec-74ba-4755-9132-84207a815056.dita [accessed 17 April 2026]

UK Government . (2022, January). The Review of Intergovernmental Relations, 2022. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61df0068e90e07037ba76b4c/The_Review_of_Intergovernmental_Relations.pdf [accessed 4 April 2026]

The Scottish Parliament. (2022, September 22). Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee: The Impact of Brexit on Devolution. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2022/9/22/1b7a03d8-e93c-45a4-834a-180d669f7f42#Introduction [accessed 29 May 2025]

The UK Labour Party . (2024). Change . Retrieved from https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Labour-Party-manifesto-2024.pdf [accessed 18 April 2026]

The Scottish Parliament . (2025, October 25). Official Report, Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee . Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=16641 [accessed 18 April 2026]

UK Government . (2024, August 13). Letter from Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Cabinet Offìce to Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Convener. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2024/response-from-rt-hon-nick-thomassymonds-mp-minister-for-the-cabinet-office-and-paymaster-genera.pdf [accessed 18 April 2026]

The Scottish Parliament . (2026, March 24). Legacy Report of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, Session 6. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2026/3/24/e019190f-b6f7-4770-8a71-4634751f3adb#8983d3eb-06a4-4f55-a1aa-7f0c17a38a05.dita [accessed 18 April 2026]

Image: The graphic shows the process for UK SI notifications to the Scottish Parliament

Image: What do intergovernmental relations look like in the UK?

Image: Minimum time period between stages of a Bill

An error occured while loading, please try again in a few minutes.