- Scotland Office
-
Scotland
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Scotland- Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
- Supreme Courts
- Sheriff Courts
- Land Courts
- Justice of the Peace Courts
- Lord Lyon Court
Scotland in the UKHer Majesty's Government
- Secretary of State
- Under Secretary of State for Scotland
- Scotland Office
Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Grand Committee
- Select Committee
- Reserved matters
- Elections
- Constituencies
- List of Scottish MPs
Scotland in the EULocal government
United Kingdom
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the United KingdomGovernment- Sovereign
- Queen Elizabeth II
- The Crown
- Royal Prerogative
- Privy Council
- Cabinet
- Her Majesty's Civil Service
Foreign policy
The Scotland Office (An Oifis Albannach in Scottish Gaelic) is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs. It is distinct entity within the Ministry of Justice.[1]
Contents
Role
The office is responsible for the representation of Scotland in HM Government, facilitating the smooth operation of devolution, liaising between the government and the devolved Government in Edinburgh and the administering of certain reserved matters of government in relation to Scotland.
History
Until the advent of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, the precursor to the Scotland Office, the Scottish Office, was a major UK government department dealing with most aspects of the domestic governance of Scotland, a position known as "administrative devolution". Since devolution its powers have been limited to those relating to reserved matters that are not dealt with by other departments of the UK Government, and it, along with the Wales Office, was then absorbed into the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), which in turn became the Ministry of Justice. The Secretary of State for Scotland also holds certain powers of oversight over the operation of the Scottish Parliament under the Scotland Act 1998.
Ministers
The Scotland Office Ministers are as follows:[2]
Minister Rank Portfolio The Rt Hon Michael Moore MP Secretary of State Constitutional affairs, general economic policy, defence The Rt Hon David Mundell MP Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State Electoral law, general social policy, energy Key Conservative Liberal Democrat The Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC (Lib Dem) is the Advocate General for Scotland, advising the United Kingdom Government on Scots law.[3] He also speaks for the Scotland Office in the House of Lords.[4] Lord Wallace was previously Deputy First Minister of Scotland (1999–2005).
Under the Blair Ministry and Brown Ministry, the office of Secretary of State for Scotland was often held along with another Secretaryship of State by a member of the Cabinet:
- Alistair Darling (2003–2006), also Secretary of State for Transport;
- Douglas Alexander (2006–2007), also Secretary of State for Transport; and
- Des Browne (2007–2008), also Secretary of State for Defence.
Danny Alexander was briefly the first Secretary of State in the Cameron Ministry (in May 2010), prior to his appointment as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, succeeding David Laws.
Michael Crockart (a Liberal Democrat MP) resigned his post as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State on 9 December 2010 over the United Kingdom Government's plan for an increase in tuition fees.
Location
The department is based at Dover House, in London's Whitehall, and employs around 40 permanent staff. Dover House also serves as a base for staff of the Scottish Government in London.
There is also an office of the department located in Melville Crescent, Edinburgh.
The Advocate General, as a Law Officer, shares the same offices in London and Edinburgh.
References
- The Scottish Secretaries, David Torrance. (Birlinn 2006)
External links
Secretaries of State for Scotland of the United Kingdom Scotland OfficeSecretary of State for Scotland
1707–1746Secretary for Scotland
1885–1926Secretary of State for Scotland
1926–1999Secretary of State for Scotland
1999–presentScotland topics History Geography Geology · Climate · Demographics · Mountains and hills · Islands · Lochs · Waterfalls · Fauna · Flora · Highlands · Lowlands · Central Belt · Anglo-Scottish borderEconomy Companies · Bank of Scotland · Royal Bank of Scotland · North Sea oil · Whisky · Tourism · Harris Tweed · Renewable energy · Transport · Saltire FoundationLaw People Politics Political parties · Elections · Parliament · Government · First Minister · Scotland Office · Secretary of State · Local government · Monarchs · Military · Devolution · Independence · UnionismReligion Languages Culture Clans · Cuisine · Education · Flags · Coat of arms · Anthem · Hogmanay · Innovations · Literature · Music · Sport · World Heritage Sites · National identity · National symbols · Scottish surnamesDevolution in the United Kingdom Commissions Referendums UK Parliament Northern Ireland Act 1998, 2006 · Government of Wales Act 1998, 2006 · Scotland Act 1998, Scotland Bill 2011UK Government Departments
Territorial Offices (MOJ)Devolved legislatures
Devolved administrationsElections Related articles Categories:- Ministerial departments of the United Kingdom Government
- Government of Scotland
- Organisations based in Scotland
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.