Parliament in Scotland, from Medieval Times to the Present
Scottish Devolution - the important dates:
• 01 May 1707 - Act of Union unites Scotland and England as Great Britain - Legal powers are devolved to Scotland
• 17 August 1885 - Scottish Office, under the control of the Secretary for Scotland, is formed
• 30 May 1913 - Reading of the Government of Scotland Bill passes House of Commons, proposing devolution
• 28 July 1914 - First World War begins, effectively ending existing Scottish devolution plans
• 15 November 1924 - Scottish Convention meets for the first time to draw up a scheme for devolution
• 15 July 1926 - Secretary for Scotland position upgraded to a full Secretary of State rank
• 20 April 1934 - First meeting of the newly-formed Scottish National Party (SNP)
• 12 April 1945 - Dr Robert McIntyre wins the Scottish National Party its first ever Parliamentary seat
• 29 October 1949 - Scottish Covenant put forward, calling for establishment of a home rule Scottish Parliament
• 18 May 1968 - Ted Heath's “Declaration of Perth” provides Conservative Party support for some devolution
• 15 April 1969 - Royal Commission on the Constitution established to consider local and regional governments
• 31 October 1973 - Commission publishes “Kilbrandon Report,” recommending executive devolution for Scotland
• 31 July 1978 - Scotland Act 1978 receives Royal Assent - Calls for referendum on creation of a Scottish Assembly
• 01 March 1979 - Scottish Referendum on Devolution held - Fails to gain necessary approval
• 01 March 1980 - Campaign for a Scottish Assembly formed to keep up pressure for devolution
• 30 March 1989 - First meeting of the newly-formed Scottish Constitutional Convention
• 30 November 1995 - SCC publishes “Scotland's Parliament, Scotland's Right,” providing blueprint for devolution
• 04 July 1996 - Labour Party publishes pre-election manifesto, pledging creation of Scottish Parliament
• 24 July 1997 - New Labour government publishes “Scotland's Parliament”, outlining devolution proposal
• 11 September 1997 - Scottish Referendum on Devolution held - Scotland votes in favour of a Scottish Parliament
• 12 December 1997 - Parliament offers opportunity to legislate in Scotland, for Scotland
• 18 December 1997 - Scotland Bill published - Donald Dewar unveils “Pathway to a Parliament”
• 23 December 1997 - Dewar takes Parliament information to the people
• 09 January 1998 - Holyrood selected as the site for the new Scottish Parliament Building
• 13 January 1998 - Membership of all party steering group on Scottish Parliament announced
• 19 November 1998 - Scotland Act 1998 passed, officially establishing devolved Scottish Parliament
• 06 May 1999 - First elections to Scottish Parliament held - Labour and Liberal Democrats form coalition
• 07 May 1999 - Donald Dewar becomes the inaugural First Minister of Scotland
• 12 May 1999 - Scottish Parliament meets for the first time at the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland
• 01 July 1999 - Devolution Day - Scottish Parliament assumes full powers
• 07 September 2004 - First debate held at the newly built Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood
• 09 September 2004 - Queen Elizabeth II formally opens the Scottish Parliament Building
• 18 January 2005 - Scottish Executive secures funding to take over responsibility of Scotland's railways
• 03 May 2007 - Scottish Parliamentary election - Alex Salmond's Scottish National Party form minority government
• 03 September 2007 - Scottish Executive re-branded as Scottish Government by the SNP
• 06 December 2007 - Calman Commission established to consider transfer of additional powers
• 15 June 2009 - Commission publishes its final report, advocating greater powers for Scotland
• 05 May 2011 - Scottish Parliamentary election - Scottish National Party win first overall majority
• 01 May 2012 - Scotland Act 2012 receives Royal Ascent, providing greater tax powers to Scottish Parliament
• 15 October 2012 - Edinburgh Agreement is signed, effectively granting a Scottish independence referendum
• 18 September 2014 - Scottish Referendum on Independence held - Scotland votes 'No' to independence
• 19 September 2014 - Smith Commission formed to oversee devolution of further powers to Scotland
• 01 May 1707 - Act of Union unites Scotland and England as Great Britain - Legal powers are devolved to Scotland
• 17 August 1885 - Scottish Office, under the control of the Secretary for Scotland, is formed
• 30 May 1913 - Reading of the Government of Scotland Bill passes House of Commons, proposing devolution
• 28 July 1914 - First World War begins, effectively ending existing Scottish devolution plans
• 15 November 1924 - Scottish Convention meets for the first time to draw up a scheme for devolution
• 15 July 1926 - Secretary for Scotland position upgraded to a full Secretary of State rank
• 20 April 1934 - First meeting of the newly-formed Scottish National Party (SNP)
• 12 April 1945 - Dr Robert McIntyre wins the Scottish National Party its first ever Parliamentary seat
• 29 October 1949 - Scottish Covenant put forward, calling for establishment of a home rule Scottish Parliament
• 18 May 1968 - Ted Heath's “Declaration of Perth” provides Conservative Party support for some devolution
• 15 April 1969 - Royal Commission on the Constitution established to consider local and regional governments
• 31 October 1973 - Commission publishes “Kilbrandon Report,” recommending executive devolution for Scotland
• 31 July 1978 - Scotland Act 1978 receives Royal Assent - Calls for referendum on creation of a Scottish Assembly
• 01 March 1979 - Scottish Referendum on Devolution held - Fails to gain necessary approval
• 01 March 1980 - Campaign for a Scottish Assembly formed to keep up pressure for devolution
• 30 March 1989 - First meeting of the newly-formed Scottish Constitutional Convention
• 30 November 1995 - SCC publishes “Scotland's Parliament, Scotland's Right,” providing blueprint for devolution
• 04 July 1996 - Labour Party publishes pre-election manifesto, pledging creation of Scottish Parliament
• 24 July 1997 - New Labour government publishes “Scotland's Parliament”, outlining devolution proposal
• 11 September 1997 - Scottish Referendum on Devolution held - Scotland votes in favour of a Scottish Parliament
• 12 December 1997 - Parliament offers opportunity to legislate in Scotland, for Scotland
• 18 December 1997 - Scotland Bill published - Donald Dewar unveils “Pathway to a Parliament”
• 23 December 1997 - Dewar takes Parliament information to the people
• 09 January 1998 - Holyrood selected as the site for the new Scottish Parliament Building
• 13 January 1998 - Membership of all party steering group on Scottish Parliament announced
• 19 November 1998 - Scotland Act 1998 passed, officially establishing devolved Scottish Parliament
• 06 May 1999 - First elections to Scottish Parliament held - Labour and Liberal Democrats form coalition
• 07 May 1999 - Donald Dewar becomes the inaugural First Minister of Scotland
• 12 May 1999 - Scottish Parliament meets for the first time at the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland
• 01 July 1999 - Devolution Day - Scottish Parliament assumes full powers
• 07 September 2004 - First debate held at the newly built Scottish Parliament Building at Holyrood
• 09 September 2004 - Queen Elizabeth II formally opens the Scottish Parliament Building
• 18 January 2005 - Scottish Executive secures funding to take over responsibility of Scotland's railways
• 03 May 2007 - Scottish Parliamentary election - Alex Salmond's Scottish National Party form minority government
• 03 September 2007 - Scottish Executive re-branded as Scottish Government by the SNP
• 06 December 2007 - Calman Commission established to consider transfer of additional powers
• 15 June 2009 - Commission publishes its final report, advocating greater powers for Scotland
• 05 May 2011 - Scottish Parliamentary election - Scottish National Party win first overall majority
• 01 May 2012 - Scotland Act 2012 receives Royal Ascent, providing greater tax powers to Scottish Parliament
• 15 October 2012 - Edinburgh Agreement is signed, effectively granting a Scottish independence referendum
• 18 September 2014 - Scottish Referendum on Independence held - Scotland votes 'No' to independence
• 19 September 2014 - Smith Commission formed to oversee devolution of further powers to Scotland
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