Question

Difficulty: HardDevolved Powers in Scotland

The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood has the authority to pass legislation on a variety of domestic matters known as 'devolved powers'. Which of the following policy areas is a devolved responsibility of the Scottish Parliament?

  1. The promotion of tourism and the provision of trainingAnswer
  2. B
    The regulation of equal opportunities
  3. C
    The legislation regarding employment and trade unions
  4. D
    The control of immigration and nationality

Answer

The promotion of tourism and the provision of training is a devolved power of the Scottish Parliament.
The correct answer is correct because the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence over domestic matters such as tourism, training, health, and education. These areas allow the Scottish Government to tailor policies to the specific needs of the Scottish population.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Differentiate between devolved and reserved powers in the Scottish context.
Devolved powers are those granted to the Scottish Parliament for domestic governance, while reserved powers are kept by the UK Parliament at Westminster for matters affecting the whole UK.
This distinction is fundamental to understanding the UK's constitutional structure.
2
Evaluate the provided options against the official list of devolved matters.
Tourism and training are explicitly listed as devolved matters in the Official Life in the UK Handbook.
Accurate recall of the specific categories is necessary for correct identification.
3
Verify that the other options are reserved powers.
Equal opportunities, employment law, and immigration are all reserved to Westminster.
Confirming the reserved status of distractors ensures the chosen answer is the only correct one.

Key Concept

Devolved vs. Reserved Powers
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