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Question

Difficulty: MediumThe Scottish Government and Parliament

Within the structure of the devolved administration in Scotland, what is the procedure for the official appointment of the First Minister?

  1. The Scottish Parliament nominates a member for the role, who is then formally appointed by the Monarch.Answer
  2. B
    The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom selects a leader from the majority party in the Scottish Parliament.
  3. C
    The Scottish electorate votes for the First Minister in a separate national election held on the same day as the parliamentary vote.
  4. D
    The Secretary of State for Scotland appoints the leader following a recommendation from the UK Cabinet.

Answer

The First Minister is nominated by the Scottish Parliament and then formally appointed by the Monarch.
The correct answer is that the Scottish Parliament nominates one of its members to be First Minister, and the Monarch then officially appoints them to the role. This follows the parliamentary tradition where the head of state formalises the choice of the elected assembly.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the legislative role in choosing the leader.
The Scottish Parliament (MSPs) must nominate one of its own members for the position.
As a parliamentary democracy, the executive leader must command the confidence of the elected parliament.
2
Determine the formal constitutional figure who completes the appointment.
The Monarch officially appoints the nominee to the office of First Minister.
The Monarch remains the formal head of state and performs the official appointment of government leaders across the UK.

Key Concept

The constitutional process of appointing the First Minister of Scotland.

Practice More

Review the roles of the 'Law Officers' (Lord Advocate and Solicitor General) who also serve as members of the Scottish Government.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

The Scottish Government and Parliament