The Queen celebrated the opening of the parliament today

Queen speech marks decade of devolution

Queen speech marks decade of devolution

By politics.co.uk staff

The Queen has made a speech in Holyrood to mark a decade of devolution.

The monarch addressed MSPs and over 100 children born on the day the parliament received its powers.

“Your challenge over the coming years is to take the Scottish parliament forward,” she said.

“I wish you well for the remaining period of this session.”

The long process of devolution, pushed through by a fresh-faced Labour government, finally climaxed on July 1st 1999 when Holyrood gained the power to make laws.

The parliament sat at the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland on The Mound, during the construction of the Holyrood building.