The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999. The latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process, but devolution was fully completed in March 2010.
The UK was an active member of the EU from 1973 to 2016, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, frustrated by a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The so-called “Brexit” will take years to carry out but could be the signal for referenda in other EU countries where skepticism of EU membership benefits is strong.
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Displaying 446 - 450 of 782Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 (1993 Cap. 44).
This Act continues into being the Crofters Commission and provides with respect to crofting, a particular form of land tenure exercised in Scotland and related matters such acquisition of land by crofters. The Commission was established by the he Crofters (Scotland) Act 1955.
Crofting (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2013 (2013 asp 10).
This Act amends principally the Crofters (Scotland) Act 1993 and consequentially the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 in respect of applications to decroft by owner-occupier crofters and the subsequent handling of such application by the Crofters Commission. The Act also provides with respect to appeals against decisions of the Commission. An owner-occupier crofter may apply to the Commission for a decrofting direction, i.e. a direction that the owner-occupier’s croft is to cease to be a croft.
High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013 (2013 asp 6).
This Act grants the right to an owner or occupier of a domestic property who considers that the height of a high hedge situated on land owned or occupied by another person adversely affects the enjoyment of the domestic property to apply to the relevant local authority for a high hedge notice. A relevant local authority must dismiss an application in specified circumstances. Where a relevant local authority decides under section 6(5)(b) that action should be taken, it must issue a high hedge notice as soon as is reasonably practicable after making 15 that decision.
Access to the Countryside (Maps) (England) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 1798 of 2013).
These Regulations require Natural England (as successor body to the Countryside Agency) to retain conclusive maps of registered common land and open country by the issue of draft maps, which are subsequently confirmed by the Countryside Agency and make provision for the inspection of such maps. Regulation 4 provides for the inspection and supply of reduced scale maps, which are copies of conclusive maps on a smaller scale.
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Act 2013 (2013 asp 11).
This Act establishes the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland as a consequence of the Scotland Act 2012, which assigns responsibility to the Scottish Parliament for taxes on land transactions and disposals to landfill. It defines which transactions are land transactions, and which interests are, and which are not, chargeable interests in land. It also provides for land transaction returns and for the payment of the tax and for tax relief.