1997 Scotland Act

The Scotland Act 1998 (sometimes referred to in discussions about legislation from 1997) set up the Scottish Parliament and government, granting Scotland its own legislative powers while remaining part of the UK. It established a system where certain areas like education and health are managed by Scotland, while others like defense are handled by the UK government. The Act was a response to Scottish demands for greater self-rule and marked a significant step in devolving powers from Westminster, allowing Scotland to govern many local issues more directly while still part of the UK.