Glossary
- Article 49
- The article of the Treaty on European Union that sets out how a European country applies to join the EU.
- Barnett formula
- The formula the UK Treasury uses to adjust the Scottish Government's block grant when UK Government spending on comparable services in England changes.
- Common Travel Area (CTA)
- A long-standing arrangement between the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands that allows their citizens to travel and live freely between them.
- Devolution
- The transfer of certain powers from the UK Parliament to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
- GERS
- Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland: an annual Scottish Government statistics publication that estimates public revenue and spending for Scotland.
- Reserved matters
- Subjects on which only the UK Parliament can legislate for Scotland, listed in Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998.
- Section 30 order
- An order under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 that can change the list of reserved matters. It needs the approval of both the UK and Scottish parliaments.
- Sewel Convention
- The convention that the UK Parliament will not normally legislate on devolved matters without the Scottish Parliament's consent. It is recognised in the Scotland Act 1998 but is not legally enforceable.
- Sterlingisation
- Using another country's currency (here, the pound sterling) without a formal currency union.
- Trident
- The UK's nuclear weapons system, carried on submarines based at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane).