Government Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (which includes England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm which means that it has a sovereign monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II, who is head of state of all of the Commonwealth countries. With a parliamentary government, the UK has two houses: a House of Commons that is elected and a House of Lords that is appointed. Bills require Royal Assent to be passed into law. There is also a specifically Scottish Government which is responsible for issues not designated to the parliament of the United Kingdom. It is generally the responsibility of the Scottish Government to handle justice, education, rural and home affairs, transportation, and economic development. The head of the government is nominated by the Scottish Parliament and is called the First Minister. Economy The United Kingdom has one of the world’s biggest economies. It is a mixed economy (both public and private) which has been reducing public ownership over the last two decades. While it was the first to industrialize in the 18th century, the United Kingdom’s economy has shifted more towards the service sector over the years, particularly insurance, tourism, business services, and banking. The UK also has significant oil, gas, and coal reserves, but they are steadily declining. Scotland has the third largest GDP per capita of all the regions in the United Kingdom |