Archive on the Scottish Parliament

Scope and Content

Party manifestos, election addresses and ephemera; Press statements and news from political parties; Official communications; Briefing papers and policy statements by groups lobbying the Parliament; Television and press coverage

Scottish Parliament Archive list (Word document)

Administrative / Biographical History

In 1603, by the accession of King James VI of Scotland to the throne of England as James I, Scotland and England were united under one ruler. However the Scottish Parliament continued to function as an independent Parliament until the Union of Parliaments in 1707. In the course of the next two hundred years the sense of Scottish nationhood remained strong and the desire for some measure of self government surfaced at regular intervals. A proposal for a devolved Parliament failed in 1979. However a successful referendum was held in 1997, and the Scotland Act was passed in 1998, leading to the establishment of a Scottish Parliament with fund raising powers. The first elections were held on 6 May 1999. As the veteran nationalist MP, Winnie Ewing memorably said at the formal opening on 1 July 1999, 'The Scottish Parliament, adjourned in 1707, is now re-convened'.

Access Information

Open

Other Finding Aids

Online list available. Some items relating to the 1999 and 2003 elections have been digitised as part of the ASPECT Project by the Centre for Digital Library Research

Archivist's Note

Archivist's note: Description prepared by Margaret Harrison, Web version by Graham S. Holton, Jordanhill LibraryRules or Conventions: Description based on Scottish Archive Network guidelines, based on ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, International Council on Archives (2nd edition, 2000). and Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names, National Council on Archives (1997)Date of descriptions: February 2008.

Related Material

Publications of the Scottish Parliament in the Andersonian Library's Government Publications section

Papers of Members of the Scottish Parliament in the National Archives of Scotland

Corporate Names