Devolved Definition

Devolution, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “the transfer of power from a central government to regional authorities.” In the United Kingdom, devolution is the process by which Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have been granted a certain degree of autonomy while remaining part of the UK.

The Scotland Act 1998 established a Scottish Parliament with devolved authority over many areas of domestic policy. The Wales Act 2014 followed suit, giving the Welsh Assembly additional powers. And in Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 led to the creation of a power-sharing executive.

In each case, devolution has entailed the granting of new governing institutions as well as new legal protections for minority language communities (in Wales and Scotland) and for religious minorities (in Northern Ireland).