What are reserved powers?

Reserved powers refer to those powers that are retained by the UK government and are not transferred to the devolved governments, such as the Scottish Parliament. This means that certain areas of governance, such as defense, immigration, and foreign affairs, remain under the control of the UK Parliament in Westminster. These powers are crucial for the unity and integrity of the United Kingdom, as they allow the central government to maintain authority over key national issues.

Understanding this concept is essential, especially in discussions surrounding devolution, where distinct powers are distributed between different levels of government. The other options suggest varying degrees of power distribution that do not accurately encompass the definition of reserved powers. For example, powers that the Scottish Parliament has assumed would be classified as devolved powers, while local governments typically handle more localized issues and are not relevant to the UK's reserved powers framework. Similarly, powers that can be voted on by the public do not encapsulate the legal structure of powers retained by the UK government.