The Scottish Parliament & Devolution — Citizenship Resource (P6–P7)
A P6–P7 Social Studies and citizenship resource on the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood — how it works, what it can and cannot do, MSPs, voting, and Scotland's place in the UK.
Preview
Page count: 3. Print-ready PDF — letter / A4 friendly. Click image to see all pages.
The Scottish Parliament
- 1 Established 1999, following the 1997 devolution referendum (74% voted Yes). First sitting: 12 May 1999. Located at Holyrood, Edinburgh — the building designed by Enric Miralles, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.
- 2 MSPs Members of the Scottish Parliament. 129 MSPs — 73 constituency MSPs (FPTP) and 56 regional MSPs (proportional representation). Mixed electoral system gives more proportional outcomes than Westminster.
- 3 Devolved powers Health (NHS Scotland, separate from England); Education (Curriculum for Excellence); Justice (Scots law); Housing; Agriculture; Transport; Environment; Some tax powers (income tax rates, council tax).
- 4 Reserved powers Remain with Westminster: defence, foreign policy, immigration, social security (benefits), most taxation, broadcasting.
- 5 First Minister Leader of the Scottish Government — the devolved executive. Elected by MSPs. Current (2026): John Swinney (SNP).
- 6 Committees The Scottish Parliament has a strong committee system — committees scrutinise legislation and hold the government to account. Their reports are taken seriously.
Young people and the Scottish Parliament
Voting and participation
- ▶ VOTING AGE: Scotland lowered the voting age to 16 for Scottish Parliament elections (2015). Young Scots aged 16-17 can vote — unlike in UK general elections.
- ▶ PETITION: Any member of the public can petition the Scottish Parliament on any matter within its remit. There is a dedicated Public Petitions Committee.
- ▶ VISIT: The Scottish Parliament is free to visit. Educational visits for school groups are welcomed.
- ▶ YOUTH PARLIAMENT: the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) represents young people aged 14-25. Members are elected. They have genuine influence on policy.
Learning objective
Describe how the Scottish Parliament works; distinguish devolved from reserved powers; explain the MSP electoral system; and know how young people can participate in Scottish democracy.
About this resource
Scottish Parliament citizenship resources
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For Scottish schools
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S Scottish Parliament education resources — free at parliament.scot
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S Scottish Youth Parliament resources — free at syp.org.uk
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