94 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

person is responsible to Parliament for its Government, that
person is the Home Secretary. Northern Ireland has, however,
a Parliament and a Home Minister of her own, and is in practice
allowed to manage her Home Affairs as she pleases. The English
Home Secretary may also be considered responsible for the
Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, but these also enjoy practical
independence in their internal affairs.

THE SCOTTISH OFFICE.

Scotland, although now part of Great Britain, can look back
over many years of complete separation from England, during
which she had built up a form of Government and a religious
tradition of her own. Her economic problems, also, are not always
the same as England's because of her colder climate -and the
barrenness of much of her land. Her educational system is much
older than that of England; this is perhaps one explanation of
the remarkably large part played by the Scots in the life of Great
Britain. For these reasons it has proved wise to administer some
Government activities separately, for Scotland, The Secretary
of State for Scotland performs the work done in England by the
Home Secretary; and has under his control Departments for
Health, Education, and Agriculture and Fisheries. When Acts
of Parliament affecting these activities are passed, a separate
Act is often passed for Scotland.

There is some feeling in Scotland that the country is neglected
by the Westminster Parliament. Post-War unemployment has
hit certain districts very hard and created problems not always
understood by English politicians. So there has arisen a demand
for some measure of Scottish Home Rule; it finds a place in the
programme of the Liberal and Labour Parties, though no definite
scheme has been planned. Scottish Nationalist candidates
occasionally appear at elections, but so far without success. This
is probably because it has not been proved that farther separation
of Scottish from English government is the remedy for Scotland's
problems. There are parts of Scotland suffering great poverty;