1 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
The Scotland Act 1998 established a Scottish Parliament with legislative powers. There were to be 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament. The Parliament was to be elected partly on the basis of proportional representation and assumed full powers on 1 July 1999. Terms of office of MSPs were to be for four years. The Scotland Act 1998 also established the Scottish Government (referred to as the executive until The Scotland Act 2012).
The Scottish Government consists of the First Minister (elected by the Scottish Parliament and appointed by the monarch), other ministers appointed by the First Minister, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland. The law office for Scotland at the UK Parliament is now called the Advocate General for Scotland.
The Scottish Parliament is not responsible for organising or administering elections to the Scottish Parliament. You may recall from your studies of Week 2 that the separation of powers which underpins the rule of laws separates the function of the legislature (Scottish Parliament), executive (Scottish Government) and judiciary.
