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Question

Difficulty: HardDevolved Powers in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Assembly, which meets at Stormont, has the authority to legislate on specific policy areas known as 'transferred matters'. Which of the following groups contains only policy areas that are transferred to the Assembly?

  1. Agriculture, education, and the environmentAnswer
  2. B
    Health, social services, and immigration
  3. C
    Transport, agriculture, and defence
  4. D
    Education, criminal justice, and foreign policy

Answer

The group containing agriculture, education, and the environment is correct because these are all policy areas transferred to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The correct answer is the group containing agriculture, education, and the environment. Under the devolution settlement, the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont has the power to make laws on these 'transferred matters', which focus on the domestic and social administration of Northern Ireland.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the meaning of 'transferred matters' in the context of Northern Ireland devolution.
Transferred matters are policy areas where the Northern Ireland Assembly has the power to make laws.
Understanding the scope of local legislative power is essential for distinguishing it from Westminster's authority.
2
Review the list of powers held by the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.
Key areas include education, agriculture, environment, health, social services, transport, and policing/justice.
This establishes the set of correct policy areas to look for in the options.
3
Identify 'excepted' or 'reserved' matters that are NOT transferred to the Assembly.
Matters such as defence, foreign policy, immigration, and the constitution are kept by the UK Parliament at Westminster.
This allows for the elimination of incorrect options that mix devolved and non-devolved powers.
4
Evaluate the provided groups to find the one where every item is a transferred matter.
Agriculture, education, and the environment are all transferred; other groups contain immigration, defence, or foreign policy.
Selecting the set that consists entirely of transferred matters ensures the correct answer is chosen.

Key Concept

Devolution of Powers in Northern Ireland
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Devolved Powers in Northern Ireland