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Levels of power · Level 5 of 10

Devolved and state governments

Governments below the nation but above local councils: in the UK the Scottish Parliament and Government, the Senedd and Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive; elsewhere states, provinces and regions with their own parliaments, governors or premiers. They make law on health, education and transport in their area and share out money from the national government.

What this level decides

Key figures

FigureValueSource
Members of the Scottish Parliament (Read 2026-10-23)129 (73 constituency, 56 regional)Scottish Parliament, read 23 October 2026
Members of the Senedd from the 2026 election (Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024)96 (6 from each of 16 constituencies, up from 60)Welsh Government, read 23 October 2026
Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly (Read 2026-10-23)90 (5 from each of 18 constituencies)NI Direct (Northern Ireland Executive), read 23 October 2026
Scottish Government resource DEL including Block Grant Adjustments (2025-26 outturn; 2026-27 plan)£25,650 million outturn; £27,354 million plannedHM Treasury, read 23 October 2026
Welsh Government resource DEL (2025-26 outturn; 2026-27 plan)£18,303 million outturn; £18,952 million plannedHM Treasury, read 23 October 2026
Northern Ireland Executive resource DEL (2025-26 outturn; 2026-27 plan)£16,885 million outturn; £16,701 million plannedHM Treasury, read 23 October 2026
Funding available to the Welsh Government (2026-27 Final Budget, January 2026)£27.7 billion: £22.1 billion block grant, £4.4 billion devolved taxes, £1.1 billion non-domestic rates, £165 million capital borrowingWelsh Government, read 23 October 2026
Annual budget the Northern Ireland Executive must decide (2026-27, draft budget January 2026)£19.9 billion (capital £2.8 billion)Northern Ireland Executive, read 23 October 2026
US state and territory entries listed by USAGov (Read 2026-10-23)59: 50 states, the District of Columbia and 8 territories or associated statesUSAGov (US General Services Administration), read 23 October 2026
Federal states (Länder) of Germany (Read 2026-10-23)16Bundesrat (Germany), read 23 October 2026

How it works

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have an elected legislature. The Scottish Parliament has 129 members: 73 constituency MSPs and 56 regional MSPs, with seven for each of eight regions. The Senedd grows from 60 to 96 members at the 2026 election, with six elected from each of 16 constituencies using a proportional list system. The Northern Ireland Assembly has 90 MLAs, five for each of 18 constituencies. Each legislature scrutinises its own government.

The Northern Ireland Assembly's own guide says the UK Parliament devolved legislative and executive powers under the 1998 Belfast Agreement, so the Assembly and Executive make laws on most everyday matters. Two categories stay with Westminster: reserved matters, where the Assembly can legislate with the Secretary of State's consent, and excepted matters, where it cannot. The Scottish and Welsh Governments operate within their own devolution settlements, which each define which powers are devolved.

HM Treasury's PESA 2026 shows the scale. The Scottish Government's resource budget including Block Grant Adjustments was £25,650 million in 2025-26, Wales £18,303 million and the Northern Ireland Executive £16,885 million. PESA explains that, because of the scale of tax and welfare devolution in Scotland, Treasury documents present Scottish Government funding both including and excluding Block Grant Adjustments. The Welsh Government says its 2026-27 funding of £27.7 billion includes £4.4 billion from devolved taxes and £1.1 billion from non-domestic rates.

Elsewhere, state-level government is common in federations. The US Census Bureau says most states have a senate and a house, with Nebraska's legislature unicameral. Germany has 16 Länder, which the Bundesrat represents at federal level. Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories, each with its own constitution, parliament and laws, according to the Australian Parliament. Each system divides powers between national and state tiers differently.

How to have a say

  1. Petition the Scottish Parliament
  2. Petition the Senedd (Welsh Parliament)
  3. Find your MLA, read about the Assembly's powers and see how to contact Members
  4. Find your Members of the Scottish Parliament
  5. Find Members of the Senedd
  6. Register to vote so you can take part in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland elections

The records you can check

Official registers and data

In the UK

Around the world

States, provinces and regions in each country, from the constitution, local government laws and national statistics offices:

Up and down the ladder

Above: National government. Below: County councils, combined authorities and metro mayors.

Common questions

What does devolved and state governments decide?

Health, schools and local government funding in their area; Their own taxes where the law allows (for example Scottish income tax bands); Laws on devolved subjects, passed by their own parliament; Funding for councils and local services.

Which records show what devolved and state governments do?

Devolved budgets and spending (GERS, Welsh and NI budget documents); Votes in the Scottish Parliament, Senedd and NI Assembly; Lobbying registers (Scotland's is statutory); Ministers' interests and meetings.

How is the Scottish Parliament funded?

HM Treasury's PESA 2026 shows the Scottish Government's resource budget including Block Grant Adjustments was £25,650 million in 2025-26 and £27,354 million is planned for 2026-27. PESA explains that tax and welfare devolution in Scotland means Treasury documents show its funding both with and without Block Grant Adjustments. The Scottish Budget also sets a £15,686.1 million local government settlement for 2026-27.

How many members does the Senedd have?

The Welsh Government says the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 increased the Senedd from 60 to 96 members, with effect from the 2026 election. Six members are elected from each of 16 new constituencies, using a fully proportional system based on the D'Hondt formula.

How many MSPs are there?

The Scottish Parliament says there are 129 MSPs: 73 constituency MSPs and 56 regional MSPs. Scotland has eight regions with seven regional MSPs each. Each voter is represented by eight MSPs: one for their constituency and seven for their region. Elections use the Additional Member System, a form of proportional representation.

What powers does the Northern Ireland Assembly have?

The Assembly's guide says the UK Parliament devolved legislative and executive powers under the 1998 Belfast Agreement. The Assembly and Executive make laws and decisions on most everyday issues. Reserved matters need the Secretary of State's consent, and excepted matters stay with the UK Parliament with no exception.

How many US states are there and how many have two legislative chambers?

The House of Representatives site refers to the 50 states. The US Census Bureau says that in most states the legislature has an upper (senate) and lower (house) chamber, while Nebraska has a unicameral legislature. The Census Bureau counted 91,438 local government units in the United States in 2025.

How many states and territories does Australia have?

The Australian Parliament says the Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. It says the states and the territories have their own constitutions, parliaments, governments and laws. Germany, for comparison, has 16 federal states (Länder), according to the Bundesrat.

Sources