Constitution of the United Kingdom from the state, which was confirmed by the Church of Scotland Act 1921. England and Wales share the same legal system, while Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own distinct systems. These distinctions arose prior to and were retained after the unions according to the terms of the 1706 Treaty of Union, ratified by the 1707 Acts of Union, and the Acts of Union 1800. Reforms since 1997 have decentralised the UK by setting up a devolved Scottish Parliament and assemblies in Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK was formed as a unitary state, though Scotland and England retained
Acts of Union 1707 to unite the two realms so he would not be "guilty of bigamy;" he used the royal prerogative to take the title "King of Great Britain" and give a British character to his court and person. The 1603 Union of England and Scotland Act established a joint Commission to agree terms but the English Parliament was concerned this would lead to the imposition of an absolutist structure similar to that of Scotland. James dropped his policy of a speedy union, the topic disappeared from the legislative agenda while attempts to revive it in 1610 were met with hostility. This did