Click on the topics on the left hand side to navigate through
the update.
This month's Holyrood section looks a little different: we have
dispensed with the topic headings to give an overview of what has
been happening at Holyrood following the elections on 5 May.
This can all be found in "Constitutional (People and Parliament).
Much of the information contained in this section relates to the
setting up of the new Parliament, and we have aimed to provide
comprehensive coverage of Government appointments, opposition
appointments, and Committee memberships, which is contained in SCPO
Briefing 13-4, accompanying this Update. Although these
matters may seem quite dry and procedural, having an overview of
the structure of the Government and Parliament is crucial in
helping us to get a sense of which direction the Scottish
Government and SNP-led Scottish Parliament will be travelling over
the next five years.
The Westminster section of the Update appears as normal,
however, due to Parliament rising for an extended Easter break
there has been limited work to report.
The UK Government has made changes to the Armed Forces Bill.
Following back bench pressure it was agreed to enshrine the
military covenant, which outlines the duty of care for members of
the armed forces and veterans from the Government and the nation as
whole in law. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and the
Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland were among
campaigners who successfully called for amendments to ensure that
all under-18s have the right to voluntary
discharge.
Moves to increase public participation in reducing the scope of
Government continue with the launch by the Cabinet Office of the
Red Tape Challenge. Members of the public and organizations can
give their views of whether regulations should be scrapped or
changes. The website will invite views on specified themes until
April 2013. Currently the Government is seeking views on Road
Transport; this will change to regulations relating to Equalities
on 9 June for the rest of the month.
Although the Referendum on the Alternative Vote failed to win
public support, plans for constitutional change are proceeding with
the Government publishing plans for the reform of the House of
Lords.