The Scottish Government

Extending Devolution

Friday, November 30, 2007

The White Paper says: Significant powers are currently reserved to the UK Parliament and UK Government. Further devolution in these important areas would allow the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government to take their own decisions on these issues in the interests of Scotland and reflecting the views of the people of Scotland. In some areas, further devolution could also provide greater coherence in decision making and democratic accountability for delivery of policy.

This blog is now closed to further comment.

Comments

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• 1. David Ardrey - Cumbernauld, Scotland

  Friday, August 24, 2007 14:16

  Areas which are reserved by the UK Parliament and UK Government are:
  
  The Crown, including succession to the Crown and a regency
  The Union of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England
  The Parliament of the United Kingdom, elections for membership of the House of Commons, the European Parliament and the Scottish Parliament
  The higher courts
  The Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Headquarters
  The registration and funding of political parties
  Foreign affairs, international relations, and representation
  The civil service
  Defence
  Treason
  Economic and fiscal
  
  Fiscal, economic and monetary policy, including the issue and circulation of money, taxes and excise duties, government borrowing and lending, control over United Kingdom public expenditure, the exchange rate and the Bank of England
  The currency: coinage, legal tender and bank notes
  Financial services
  Financial markets, including listing and public offers of securities and investments, transfer of securities and insider dealing
  Home affairs
  
  Misuse of drugs
  Data protection
  Firearms
  Classification of films and videos
  Immigration and nationality, including asylum and issue of travel documents
  Scientific procedures on live animals
  National security, interception of communications, official secrets and terrorism
  Betting, gaming and lotteries
  Emergency powers
  Extradition
  Trade and industry
  
  The creation, operation, regulation and dissolution of types of business association
  Insolvency in relation to business associations
  Regulation of anti-competitive practices and agreements; abuse of dominant position monopolies and mergers
  Intellectual property
  Import and export control
  Regulation of sea fishing outside the Scottish zone (except in relation to Scottish fishing boats)
  Consumer protection
  Product standards, safety and liability
  Weights and measures
  Telecommunications and wireless telegraphy, including internet services
  Post Office, posts and postal services
  Research Councils
  Designation of assisted areas
  Protection of trading and economic interests
  Energy
  
  Generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity
  Oil and gas, including the ownership of, exploration for and exploitation of deposits of oil and natural gas, offshore installations and pipelines
  Coal, including its ownership and exploitation, deep and opencast coal mining and coal mining subsidence
  Nuclear energy and nuclear installations, including nuclear safety, security and safeguards, and liability for nuclear occurrences
  Transport
  
  Road transport
  Rail transport, provision and regulation of railway services
  Marine transport, including navigational rights and freedoms
  Air transport
  Transport of radioactive material
  Social security
  
  Social security schemes
  Child support
  The regulation of occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes, including the obligations of the trustees or managers of such schemes
  Regulation of the professions
  
  Architects, health professions, auditors
  Employment
  
  Employment rights and duties and industrial relations
  Health and safety
  Job search and support
  Health and medicines
  
  Regulation of medical professions
  Abortion
  Xenotransplantation
  Embryology, surrogacy and genetics
  Medicines, medical supplies and poisons
  Media and culture
  
  Broadcasting, including the BBC
  Public lending right
  Government Indemnity Scheme for objects on loan to museums, art galleries, etc
  Property accepted in satisfaction of tax
  Miscellaneous
  
  Judicial remuneration
  Equal opportunities
  Control of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction
  Ordnance survey
  Timescales, time zones and the subject-matter of the Summer Time Act 1972
  The calendar, units of time, the date of Easter
  Outer space
  

• 2. Paul Sergeant - Kincardineshire

  Friday, August 24, 2007 21:13

  David Ardray's list of reserved powers is extensive and I thank him for telling us what is in the legislation. It provides a menu for those that want additional devolved powers. I have a twin-track approach and will support additional powers while also supporting independence (on the right terms).
  
  Fiscal autononmy is important but a separate discussion. After that, the one I would persue is control of finacial services. Scots are rather good at that.

• 3. MK - Glasgow

  Saturday, August 25, 2007 17:09

  Now that Ireland has operational devolved responsibility, it is time for more authority to be devolved. The West Lothian question would be resolved if Westminster only had responsibility for England and joint UK issues were shared by 4 Ministers in each authority - Each parliament would have say 3 weeks on devolved issues and 1 week on UK matters, with votes in devolved parliament being weighted to reach the UK consensus. We would all save a fortune from having 1 set of MSPs instead of also having MPs; no travel expenses, no office expenses for Westminster; relieve pressure on London; share out UK responsibilities properly (if reserved matters are truly UK, why are none of the UK departments located in Scotland? Would also relieve the house prices in the SW) Time for change....

• 4. louise - inverclyde

  Sunday, August 26, 2007 03:38

  Mk
  i was thinking along the same lines as yourself. Have scotland wales northern ireland and england pparliaments with complete responsiblitly for their own country in all matters with a kind of meeting of ministers from each of the parliaments at a proscribed time interval. i would vote for that in a referendum without breaking up the union. In fact i would be quite happy to vote for that. Because at the end of the day all i want is for all our countries to be equal.

• 5. livilion - livingston

  Sunday, August 26, 2007 18:35

  #3. MK - Glasgow
  Saturday, August 25, 2007 17:09
  
  Aye, your West Lothian Question resolution is worthy of consideration, but consider:
  80-85% of Westminster time is presently spent on matters which only relate to English interests.
  
  Scotland Office Ministers can hardly find any business to fill their time as it is.
  
  What would those Westminster MPs find to talk about, for a whole week, on purely 'British/UK' issues?
  
  

• 6. James W McCurry - Manchester

  Wednesday, August 29, 2007 09:39

  #5 Not a lot I would suggest and if they weren't in the Labour Party they might feel guilty. I suggest they either be sent home but I think I prefer the unemployment queue!
  
  #4 Federalism is unrealistic and would be open to the same abuses as the present system of government. For example our armed forces would still have gone to Iraq and our oil revenue to London. Why should Scotland settle for less than any other country? We need to rid this country of Labour and the dependency culture.
  
  

• 7. Barry Maycock - Alford. Aberdeenshire

  Thursday, August 30, 2007 01:03

  Hi friends
  
  I have read the list of retained areas of activity thoughtfully provided by David Ardrey. It occurs to me that unless one has the reasoning ability of Stephen Hawking it is impossible to consider the `whole` in its totality. We might make a start by ranking the list into order and addressing the top five what ever they turn out to be.
  
  Being unwilling to progress towards Independence is illogical for a people who are socialist by nature. I can understand the class basis for the Conservatives wishing to remain in Union and I presume the Labour Party are so concerned over the loss of Westminster M.P.s that they must support the Union. I will most likly support Independence when having an SNP Government is for me and others `normal` but that takes time. Meantime let the SNP get on with Governing and do something about the Council Tax and dental services, next week will be soon enough.
  
  Barry. 75 and counting
  
  

• 8. Paul Sergeant - Kincardineshire

  Saturday, September 1, 2007 21:38

  John Swinney writes: "With greater powers we could do so much more". The responses to his blog have not focussed much on what those greater powers would be. This detail thread on Extending Devolution has elicited so little response that my second entry could put me at 25% of the total.
  
  I originally supported a single simple referendum question on independence negotiations. From the extensive but unfocusssed interest in greater powers (in the original blog from Alex Salmond) I now support a question on greater powers. I had hoped that discussion would lead to a preferred package of greater powers. That is not happening.
  
  This is really an area for the opposition parties. They may have represenatives in this National Converstion but there is no coherent view apparent. I still support a referendum question on greater powers. But it should not be a blank cheque. With no curent consensus, the question should be along the lines:
  The Scottish Government should initiate a wide consultation to determine a range of greater powers that have general support.

• 9. George Steel - Fife

  Tuesday, September 4, 2007 16:33

  What is 'independence on the right terms?' Surely if we become independent then we have no terms to dictate other than we no longer wish to participate in the Union? I did not see India, Pakistan, Canada ..... coming back to the UK with a begging bowl after the resigned from the 'Empire', nor should we!
  
  If there is a fiscal case for becoming independent then let the 'Government' of Scotland make it then we can decide for ourselves.
  
  So far all we have had is measures geared to persuade us that under the SNP we won't need to pay bridge tolls, don't need to rationalise NHS services, Scottish students don't need to pay their covenant for completing their degree, but all foreign students do! We are apparently going to subsidise island ferries, having just completed a tendering process with private companies. How much is this going to coat, or do we expect Westminster to foot the bill?
  
  What happpened to the elimination of the Community Charge to be replaced by a local income tax? Again, only if Westminster can chip in another subsidy. Highly unlikely!
  
  Cutting ourslves adrift from the rest of the UK will have to be achieved by showing that we can generate enough income through our own fiscal system to maintain, or exceed, the funding we have to run ALL our public services and support our infrastructure.
  
  The debacle of Edinburgh council claiming that they would have to close 22 scholls, agreed by the SNP councillors, because the funding for the LEA, privided by the SNP 'Government' was insufficient to sustain the current level of provision.
  
  The cowardly action of the SNP councillors to withdraw their support for the necessary action, in the face of public demonstrations is an indication of their fitness, or lack of same, to be left in charge of anything.
  

• 10. George Steel - Fife

  Tuesday, September 4, 2007 16:35

  Does the action of the 'monitor' amount to censorship? Is this what we can expect from the 'Government' controlling and instructing the BBC output in Scotland?
  
  

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