Scottish Parliament facts for kids

Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament; Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots Pairlament
	5th Parliament
Type
Type	Unicameral legislature of Scotland
History
Founded	12 May 1999
Preceded by	Estates of Parliament (pre-1707); UK Parliament (pre-devolution)
Leadership
Presiding Officer	Ken Macintosh; Since 12 May 2016
First Minister	Nicola Sturgeon, SNP; Since 20 November 2014
Opposition groups	Jackson Carlaw, Conservative; Richard Leonard, Labour; Patrick Harvie, Green; Willie Rennie, Liberal Democrat
Structure
Seats	129
Political groups	Government (61) Scottish National Party (61); Opposition (67) Conservative (31); Labour (23); Green (6); Liberal Democrats (5); Independents (2); Presiding Officer (1) PO (1);
Committees	16 Audit; Equal Opportunities; Europe and External Relations; Finance; Procedures; Public Petitions; Standards and Public Appointments; Subordinate Legislation; Economy, Energy and Tourism; Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture; Health and Sport; Justice; Local Government and Communities; Rural Affairs and Environment; Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Scheme; Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change
Elections
Voting system	Additional member system
Last election	5 May 2016
Next election	6 May 2021 or earlier
Meeting place
	Holyrood, Edinburgh

The Scottish Parliament (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devolved national legislature of Scotland. It is in the capital city, Edinburgh. The Parliament is sometimes called "Holyrood".

The original Parliament of Scotland (or "Estates of Scotland") was the national legislature of the independent Kingdom of Scotland. It existed from the early 13th century until 1707. This was when the Kingdom of Scotland merged with the Kingdom of England under the Acts of Union 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Because of this, the Parliament of Scotland merged with the Parliament of England to form the Parliament of Great Britain, which sat at Westminster in London.

In 1997 there was a referendum where the Scottish people voted for Scotland to have a Parliament again. The current Parliament was established by the Scotland Act 1998. The first meeting was on 12 May 1999.

The Parliament is a devolved assembly, which means that some powers have been kept by the UK Parliament. The issues which the Scottish Parliament can make laws about are called devolved matters. The issues which the UK Parliament must make laws about are called reserved matters. Some examples of devolved matters are health and social services, education and housing. Examples of reserved matters are foreign policy, immigration and the constitution of the Scottish Parliament.

There are 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who are democratically elected. Members are elected for four-year terms. Most of the MSPs belong to political parties. Independent MSPs do not belong to a political party.

The number of MSPs from each party are:

The number of people in the parties

Party	Leader	Number of MSPs
Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon	63
Scottish Conservative Party	Ruth Davidson	31
Scottish Labour Party	Richard Leonard	24
Scottish Green Party	Patrick Harvie	6
Scottish Liberal Democrats	Willie Rennie	5
Not part of a party (Independent)	None	2

Images for kids

The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood
Enric Miralles' Scottish Parliament complex in Holyrood Park during construction. The building was completed in 2004. Above and behind the new Scottish Parliament is the neoclassical Old Royal High School, which was prepared for a previous devolved assembly, but never used.
Official logo of the Scottish Parliament
The public entrance of the Scottish Parliament building, opened in October 2004.
Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 1999 alongside then First Minister of Scotland Donald Dewar and then Presiding Officer Lord Steel of Aikwood
Seating in the debating chamber is arranged in a semicircle, with ministers sitting in the front section of the semicircle, directly opposite the presiding officer and parliamentary clerks.
The Crown of Scotland is carried by The 16th Duke of Hamilton as Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Chamber, following the Opening of the fourth Session in July 2011.
Private Bill Committees are set up to deal with the legislation required for major public sector infrastructure projects, such as the underground extensions to the National Gallery of Scotland in 2003.
After a bill has passed through all legislative stages, it becomes an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
The result for the Kelvin constituency being declared at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. Ordinary general elections for the Scottish Parliament are held on the first Thursday in May every four years.
The 2003 election's 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament; 73 represented individual constituencies and 56 represented eight additional member regions

[[Category:Scottish Parliament| ]