Although part of the United Kingdom, Scotland has its own parliament which is responsible for creating the law in most domestic areas. These areas include:

• > health
• > education and training
• > local government
• > social work
• > housing
• > planning
• > tourism, economic development and financial assistance to industry

• > some aspects of transport, including the Scottish road network, bus policy and ports and harbours
• > law and home affairs, including most aspects of criminal and civil law, the prosecution system and the courts
• > the Police and Fire services
• > the environment
• > natural and built heritage
• > agriculture, forestry and fishing
• > sport and the arts
• > statistics, public registers and records

The Scottish Executive is the government of Scotland. It is led by a First Minister, Alex Salmond, who is nominated by parliament. He appoints the other Scottish Ministers who make up the Cabinet, (the people that make the decisions).

There are 129 members of the Scottish parliament called MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament). MSPs are elected by people registered to vote in Scotland. 

Scotland (and the UK as a whole) is a democratic society, where different beliefs and political views are respected.

Find out more about the Scottish Parliament:

• www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/index.htm
• www.scotland.gov.uk/about/government

The Scottish parliament does not deal with all issues affecting Scotland. The United Kingdom parliament deals with Foreign Affairs, Immigration, Defence and National Security.

The UK parliament sits at Westminster in London. The political party in power at Westminster is the Labour party, led by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. 

There are 646 Members of Parliament (MPs) including 59 from Scotland. MPs are elected by people registered to vote throughout the UK. 

Find out more about the UK parliament:

• www.parliament.uk/works/introduction.cfm 
• www.parliament.uk/faq/parlgov_faq.cfm#gov1

Local government in Scotland is the responsibility of the local authorities.

There are 32 local authorities, also known as local councils. Council members are elected locally by the people registered to vote. 

Local councils are responsible for public services, including the education, transport, emergencies services (police, ambulance, fire brigade). 

Find out more about the local authorities at: 
www.cosla.gov.uk/index.asp?leftId=10001D0EF-10766746

Courtesy of the Scottish Government - Scotland Is The Place .