Key terms
Key TermsCitizens’ Assemblies or Citizens’ PanelsLarger or smaller groups of people, selected to be broadly representative of the wider population, who are invited to consider a topic together and come up with recommendationsDeliberative democracyMethods (including Citizens’ Assemblies and Panels) that allow participants to contribute to policy-making by discussing a topic in a structured, open and informed way that encourages consensusPublic (or citizen) participationAny way in which members of the public can play an active part in the Parliament’s work.Participative democracyThe idea that participation by the public should be a routine part of how a Parliament considers issues and reaches decisions (as an alternative to a purely representative democracy)Post-legislative scrutinyScrutiny of a piece of legislation (e.g. an Act of the Scottish Parliament) after it has been in effect for a time, to consider how well it is workingRepresentative democracyThe traditional model in which elected members (such as MSPs...