SoundScotland
Scottish Parliament
Mary: Rita, I keep getting these leaflets through the door.
What is going on?
Rita: Let me see, Mary. Oh these are for the elections to the
Scottish Parliament in May.
Mary: Scottish Parliament? I thought the Government was in
London?
Rita: Yes the United Kingdom government is based in London, but we have a parliament in
Scotland too.
Mary: You have two governments? That must be confusing.
Rita: Not really. You see this is what is called devolution. It means that decisions are
taken at a more local level.
Mary: What kind of decisions?
Rita: For example, the UK Government makes some laws on things that affect the whole
of Britain, like defence and income tax, but the Scottish one makes laws about health
and education, housing and agriculture.
Mary: That makes sense. How did it come about?
Rita: In 1997 almost three quarters of the Scottish people voted in favour of getting a
parliament back in Scotland. And it was set up in 1999.
Mary: Getting a parliament back? What happened to the old one?
Rita: That’s a long story, but 300 years ago it was combined with the English parliament
and the countries were united.
Mary: Ah, so that’s why Britain is called the United Kingdom?
Rita: Well sort of, but the Kingdoms were joined a bit before that.
Mary: Now I am confused!
Rita: Perhaps we could visit the Parliament building sometime and see if there’s anything
there that would make it clearer.
Mary: Great! It’s in Edinburgh, huh?
Rita: Yes, and we could visit the castle and Holyrood Palace.
SoundScotland
Mary: Castle? Palace? Rita, you don’t have a Queen in Scotland too?
Rita: Well yes, ehm no. Let’s talk about that when we get to Edinburgh!
Activity 1
Where is this building?
Who works there?
What do they do?
What do you know about it?
Activity 2
Listen and find a word that means:
A piece of paper which gives you information about something
The time when you can choose someone to work in the parliament
The people who make decisions about the laws in the country
When power is moved from a main organisation to a local place
The way we keep our country safe
Difficult to understand
Money we pay to the government from working
Farming
leaflet
SoundScotland
Things that you can and can’t do in a country
¾
Put together (3 words)
A very big expensive house when the Queen might live
Activity 3
Listen and answer the questions:
What does Mary get delivered to her house? leaflet
What are they for?
When is the election?
How many parliaments do we have in the UK?
What decisions do the Scottish Parliament make?
When was the Parliament started?
What city is the Scottish Parliament in?
Activity 4
Listen again: Are the sentences true or false?
Scotland can make decisions about all things f
In 1979 Scotland voted to have a Scottish Parliament
Scotland and England joined 30 years ago
They are going to visit the Scottish Parliament
They are not going to visit the castle
Scotland has a Queen
SoundScotland
Activity 5
Listen and write in the missing words:
Mary: Rita, I keep getting these _leaflets__ through the door. What is going on?
Rita: Let me see, Mary. Oh these are for the _________ to the Scottish Parliament in
May.
Mary: ___________ Parliament? I thought the _____________ was in London?
Rita: Yes the United Kingdom government is based in London, but we have a
______________ in Scotland too.
Mary: You have two governments? That must be __________________.
Rita: Not really. You see this is what is called _______________. It means that
decisions are taken at a more _________ level.
Mary: What kind of decisions?
Rita: For example, the UK Government makes some__________ on things that affect
the whole of BRitain, like _________ and income tax, but the Scottish one makes laws
about health and education, housing and _____________.
Mary: That makes sense. How did it come about?
Rita: In 1997 almost three __________ of the Scottish people ________ in favour of
getting a parliament back in Scotland. And it was set up in 1999.
Mary: Getting a parliament back? What happened to the old one?
Rita: That’s a long story, but 300 years ago it was __________ with the English
parliament and the _____________ were united.
Mary: Ah, so that’s why___________ is called the United Kingdom?
Rita: Well sort of, but the Kingdoms were joined a bit before that.
Mary: Now I am __________!
Rita: Perhaps we could visit the Parliament ___________ sometime and see if there’s
anything there that would make it clearer.
Mary: Great! It’s in _____________, huh?
Rita: Yes, and we could visit the castle and Holyrood __________.
SoundScotland
Mary: Castle? Palace? Rita, you don’t have a ____________ in Scotland too?
Rita: Well yes, ehm no. Let’s talk about that when we get to Edinburgh!
Activity 6
Go to the Scottish parliament’s website and learn more
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/education/youth/index.htm
Activity 7
Think about these questions?
Does your country have a government?
Where is it?
Have you ever visited it?
Do you have elections?
Who can vote?
Is it a good system?