User:This, that and the other/Reserved and excepted matters
General reserved powers
- the Crown
- the Constitution of the United Kingdom
- the UK Parliament
- registration and funding of political parties
- the making of peace or war
- international relations and, treaties
- international development
- international trade
- the Civil Service of the United Kingdom
- defence
- treason
Additionally, in Wales, all matters concerning the single legal jurisdiction of England and Wales are reserved, including courts, tribunals, judges and legal proceedings. An exception allows the Senedd to create Wales-specific tribunals that are not concerned with reserved matters.
Specific reservations cover particular areas of social and economic policy which are reserved to Westminster, listed under 11 'heads':
Head | Scotland | Wales |
---|---|---|
Head A: Financial and economic matters | ||
Fiscal, economic and monetary policy | Reserved | Reserved |
The currency | Reserved | Reserved |
Financial services and financial markets | Reserved | Reserved |
Money laundering | Reserved | Devolved |
Distribution of money from dormant bank accounts | Devolved | Reserved |
Head B: Home affairs | ||
Elections | Reserved | Reserved |
Emergency powers | Reserved | Reserved |
Immigration and nationality | Reserved | Reserved |
Extradition | Reserved | Reserved |
National security and counter-terrorism | Reserved | Reserved |
Policing, criminal investigations and private security | Devolved | Reserved |
Anti-social behaviour and public order | Devolved | Reserved |
Illicit drugs | Reserved | Reserved |
Firearms | Reserved | Reserved |
Betting, gaming and lotteries | Reserved | Reserved |
Knives | Devolved | Reserved |
Alcohol | Devolved | Reserved |
Hunting with dogs and dangerous dogs | Devolved | Reserved |
Prostitution, modern slavery | Devolved | Reserved |
Film classification | Reserved | Reserved |
Scientific procedures on live animals | Reserved | Reserved |
Access to information | Reserved | Reserved[note 1] |
Data protection | Reserved | ?[note 2] |
Lieutenancies | Reserved | Reserved |
Charities | Devolved | Reserved |
Head C: Trade and industry | ||
Regulation of businesses, insolvency, competition law | Reserved[note 3] | Reserved |
Copyright and intellectual property | Reserved | Reserved |
Import and export control | Reserved | Reserved |
Sea fishing outside the Scottish zone | Reserved | — |
Customer protection, product standards and product safety | Reserved | Reserved |
Weights and measures | Reserved | Reserved |
Telecommunications and postal services | Reserved | Reserved |
Research councils | Reserved | Reserved |
Industrial development and protection of trading interests | Reserved | Reserved |
Water and sewerage outside Wales | — | Reserved |
Pubs Code Regulations | Devolved | Reserved |
Sunday trading | Devolved | Reserved |
Head D: Energy | ||
Electricity | Reserved | Reserved |
Oil and gas, coal and nuclear energy | Reserved | Reserved |
Heating and cooling | Devolved | Reserved |
Energy efficiency | Reserved | Reserved |
Head E: Transport | ||
Traffic, vehicle and driver regulation | Reserved | Reserved |
Train services | Reserved | Reserved |
Navigation, shipping regulation and coastguard | Reserved | Reserved |
Ports, harbours and shipping services outside the devolved nation | Reserved | Reserved |
Air transport | Reserved | Reserved |
Head F: Social security | ||
National Insurance, social security schemes | See note[note 4] | Reserved |
Child support | Reserved | Reserved |
Occupational, personal and war pensions | Reserved | Reserved |
Public sector compensation | Devolved | Reserved |
Head G: Regulation of the professions | ||
Regulation of architects and auditors | Reserved | Reserved |
Regulation of the health professions | Reserved | Reserved |
Head H: Employment | ||
Employment and industrial relations | Reserved | Reserved |
Health and safety | Reserved | Reserved[note 5] |
Industrial training boards | Devolved | Reserved |
Job search and support | Reserved | Reserved |
Head J: Health and medicines | ||
Abortion | Devolved | Reserved |
Xenotransplantation | Reserved | Reserved |
Embryology, surrogacy and human genetics | Reserved | Reserved |
Medicines, medical supplies and poisons | Reserved | Reserved[note 6] |
Welfare foods | Devolved | Reserved |
Head K: Media and culture | ||
Broadcasting | Reserved | Reserved |
Public lending right | Reserved | Reserved |
Government Indemnity Scheme for cultural objects on loan | Reserved | Reserved |
Safety of sports grounds | Devolved | Reserved |
(Wales only) Head L: Justice | ||
The legal profession, legal services and legal aid | Devolved | Reserved |
Coroners | Devolved | Reserved |
Arbitration | Devolved | Reserved |
Mental capacity | Devolved | Reserved |
Personal data | Devolved | Reserved |
Public sector information and public records | Devolved | Reserved |
Compensation for persons affected by crime | Devolved | Reserved |
Prisons and offender management | Devolved | Reserved |
Marriage, family relationships, matters concerning children | Devolved | Reserved |
Gender recognition | Devolved | Reserved |
Registration of births, deaths and places of worship | Devolved | Reserved |
(Wales only) Head M: Land and Agricultural Assets | ||
Registration of land, agricultural charges and debentures | Devolved | Reserved |
Certain powers relating to infrastructure planning, building regulation on Crown land, and land compensation |
Devolved | Reserved |
Head L (Scotland) / Head N (Wales): Miscellaneous | ||
Judicial salaries[note 7] | Reserved | Reserved |
Equal opportunities | Reserved | Reserved |
Control of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons | Reserved | Reserved |
The Ordnance Survey | Reserved | Reserved |
Time and calendars | Reserved | Reserved |
Bank holidays | Devolved | Reserved |
Outer space | Reserved | Reserved |
Antarctica | Reserved | Reserved |
Deep sea mining | Devolved | Reserved |
- ^ Appears under Head L in the Wales Act.
- ^ Data protection is not mentioned in the Wales Act, but is unlikely that this power was intended to be devolved.
- ^ The Scotland Act contains numerous exceptions to the reserved powers concerning insolvency.
- ^ These powers are reserved in Scotland, but the Scotland Act contains a complex list of exceptions that allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate on various benefits and other social security matters.
- ^ Appears under Head J in the Wales Act.
- ^ THe matter of poisons appears under Head B in the Wales Act.
- ^ This is a specific reservation in Scotland and a general reservation in Wales.