Devolution Archives

Research Briefing

Northern Ireland Assembly Elections: 2022

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022

An election to the Northern Ireland Assembly was held on 5 May 2022. Sinn Féin became the first nationalist party to win the most seats overall in a Northern Ireland election. The DUP lost seats, becoming the second largest party in the Assembly, while the Alliance Party had their best-ever result, becoming the third-largest party. Due to concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol, the DUP have not taken part in the cross-community election of the Speaker of the Assembly, meaning that the Assembly cannot sit for the time being.
Research Briefing

Investigation of Former Armed Forces Personnel Who Served in Northern Ireland

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022

The investigation of former British soldiers who served in Northern Ireland during “The Troubles” is receiving a significant amount of media and parliamentary attention as a result of ongoing court cases and the Government's new proposals for dealing with legacy issues in Northern Ireland.
Insight

Northern Ireland elections: How will an Executive be formed?

Friday, 06 May, 2022

Parties in Northern Ireland will have until mid-October to agree upon an Executive.
Research Briefing

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Tuesday, 26 April, 2022

This briefing explains how the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will work in practice, and compares it to the EU structural funding that it is intended to replace.
Research Briefing

Northern Ireland: Direct Rule

Wednesday, 30 March, 2022

A Briefing Paper on Direct Rule in Northern Ireland
Research Briefing

UK Elections in 2022 and Beyond

Wednesday, 23 March, 2022

This briefing paper sets out the elections that are scheduled for 2022 and future years up until 2026.The elections covered include General Elections to the House of Commons, for devolved legislatures (Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly), London Assembly and Mayor of London, local authorities (in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), combined and local authority Mayors, and Police and Crime Commissioners.
Research Briefing

Northern Ireland: Key issues

Tuesday, 08 March, 2022

A briefing paper on some "key issues" in the forthcoming elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Debate Pack

Welsh Affairs – annual debate on 3 March 2022

Wednesday, 02 March, 2022

A general debate on Welsh Affairs is held each year in the Commons Chamber on, or around, St. David's Day. Since 2010, the Backbench Committee has allocated time for the annual debate from its 35 allotted days.
- Debate Pack
- Devolution
Research Briefing

Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill 2021-22

Friday, 04 February, 2022

A bill briefing on the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill 2021-22
Insight

40 years since court case led to reform of same-sex laws in Northern Ireland

Friday, 22 October, 2021

After five years of litigation, in October 1981 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Jeffrey Dudgeon's right to a private life had been breached.
- Insight
- Courts
- Devolution
- Government
Research Briefing

Scotland: Public spending and revenue

Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

Public spending and taxation in Scotland was a hotly debated issue in the run up to the Scottish independence referendum, and has remained so since. A range of statistics exist on the subject: here we look at what these say and how they are measured.
Research Briefing

Senedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament elections 2021

Friday, 16 July, 2021

The 2021 Senedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament elections took place on 6 May. The largest party was Labour, winning 30 seats. The Conservatives made the largest gains and replaced Plaid Cymru as the second largest party.
Research Briefing

Flags: the Union Flag and Flags of the United Kingdom

Tuesday, 01 June, 2021

Flags, national and other, have an ongoing cultural significance. The Union Flag, commonly known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Flying of flags is not the subject of statute law in England, Wales or Scotland. Advice is issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on flying of flags on government buildings, apart from those which are the responsibility of a devolved administration. This was recently updated so that the Union flag will normally be flown every day. In Northern Ireland there is legislation on flag flying.
Research Briefing

Scottish Parliament Elections: 2021

Thursday, 20 May, 2021

The SNP won the most seats in the Scottish Parliament in the elections on 6 May 2021. This paper provides data on voting trends and electoral turnout for constituencies, electoral regions, and for Scotland as a whole.
Insight

DUP leadership election and appointing a First Minister

Wednesday, 12 May, 2021

Arlene Foster has announced her intention to resign as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and First Minister of Northern Ireland.

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