Scottish Government recommends Scottish Parliament consent to Scotland Bill

The Scottish Government has recommended that the Scottish Parliament consents to the Scotland Bill.

Despite maintaining that the Scotland Bill should have gone further, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced the Government will back the legislation in the Scottish Parliament.

A Legislative Consent Memorandum has been lodged with Parliament which highlights changes to the Scotland Bill since its introduction at Westminster and recommends that Parliament approves it.

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Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “While the Scottish Government remains of the view that the Scotland Bill, and the Smith Commission, could have delivered more effective and coherent powers to the Scottish Parliament, the Bill provides useful additional powers in important areas such as taxation and social security.”

The House of Lords held a report stage debate on the Scotland Bill yesterday, with former Tory Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth arguing that “the agreement which has been struck is so unfair to other parts of the UK”.

Swinney said: “The UK Government amended the Bill during its passage to reflect some of the comments of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament and its Committees. With an agreed fiscal framework that increases the Scottish Parliament’s financial responsibility and protects the Barnett formula, the Scottish Government is now prepared to recommend that the Scottish Parliament consents to the Scotland Bill.

“Today we are setting out how we will create a new social security system based on the principles of dignity, fairness and respect. We will continue to demonstrate how we will use the new Scotland Bill powers to create a fairer, more prosperous country.”