News In Focus
25 February 2010
Referendum Bill proposals published
The Scottish Government today published its consultation paper on the draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill.
The bill, about which questions have been raised as to the competence of the Scottish Parliament to consider it and which is expected to be voted down by the opposition parties, would allow a referendum to be hed "on proposals to seek the transfer of more powers to the Scottish Parliament".
All those over 16 would be entitled to vote, and a Scottish Referendum Commission would be established to issue information about the proposals to be voted on, and about voting in the referendum.
Two ballot papers would be issued. The first, of which two alternatives forms are offered, would invite voters to agree or disagree to the proposal that more powers would be transferred to the Parliament – in the first alternative, to achieve "full devolution", i.e. that the Parliament would be responsible for all laws, taxes and duties in Scotland, apart from defence and foreign affairs, financial regulation, monetary policy and the currency; and in the second, that the more limited proposals of the Calman Commission be adopted.
The second paper would ask whether voters agree with the Government's proposal that in addition to the extended powers in proposal 1, "the Parliament's powers should also be extended to enable independence to be achieved".
Launching the paper, First Minister Alex Salmond said: "More than 10 years on from the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, the debate in Scotland is no longer about whether or not the Parliament should take on new responsibilities – it is about the form of change, and that issue underpins the consultation. The people want our Parliament to be able to do more, so the debate is now about how much more. And it is time the people had their say."
Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott said the SNP were putting "the politics of narrow nationalism ahead of the interests of Scotland", while Labour accused the party of trying to "rig" the vote through the creation of the Commission.
Resonses to the paper are due by 30 April 2010.