Do Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have full control over all policies and laws through their devolved administrations?

Devolution is a key concept in understanding the UK's political structure. It's the transfer of power from the central government in Westminster to regional administrations. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their own devolved governments, allowing them to make decisions on many issues that directly affect their citizens, such as education, healthcare, and local government. However, devolution isn't the same as complete independence. The UK Parliament retains control over certain reserved powers. These typically include things like defence, national security, foreign policy, immigration, and some aspects of social security. So, while the devolved administrations have significant autonomy, they don't have full control over *all* policies and laws. This is because the UK is still a unitary state, meaning ultimate sovereignty rests with the UK Parliament. Thinking that they have full control is a common misconception, but understanding the reserved powers clarifies the limits of devolution.