United Kingdom
Key facts
POPULATION (Census 2001): 58,789,194
AREA: 242,900 sq km
CAPITAL: London
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
CURRENCY: pound sterling (GBP)
HEAD OF STATE: HM Queen Elizabeth II
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister David Cameron
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: constitutional monarchy
with parliamentary democracy
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: bicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English (official), Welsh (recognised) , Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Irish, Scots and Ulster Scots
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: 2010; turnout: 65.1%; next: 2015
LOCAL ELECTIONS:
England: last and next: various see below; turnout: 39.2% (2009)
Wales: last: 2008; turnout: 44.8%; next: 2012
Scotland: last: 20; turnout: 52.8%; next: 2011 (postponed to 2012)
Northern Ireland: last: 2005; turnout: 62.8%; next: 2009 (postponed to 2011)
Summary
The United Kingdom is a union of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no written constitution but there are a number of local government Acts for each country of the UK. There are also Acts pertaining to the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which have single-tier principle local government. England has no devolved government and there are both two-tier authorities made up of counties and districts (or boroughs), and singletier councils known as unitary authorities. The lower tiers of local government in England, Scotland and Wales are known as civic parishes or community councils, there are no equivalent lower tiers in Northern Ireland. The government departments with responsibility for local government are: the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in England; the Director General for Governance and Communities in the Scottish Government; the Department of culture, media and sport (DCMS), Welsh Assembly Government; and the Department of the Environment within the Northern Ireland Executive. Over half of local government revenue comes via transfers from central government and a further quarter comes from a property-based local council tax. Responsibility for various functions is split in the two-tier system between county and district, whilst unitary authorities have sole responsibility for implementing all functions of local government. Parishes and community councils may manage community facilities such as village halls, war memorials, cemeteries, leisure facilities and playgrounds.
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Additional information since publication:May 10th 2011: Local council elections in Northern Ireland www.eoni.org.uk Production error: references missing:
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