Devolution Concerns Expressed

The leaders of the main UK political parties agreed to Scottish devolution proposals too quickly and without considering the rest of the union, according to a House of Lords committee.

Members of the Constitution Committee claim that implementing the Smith Commission recommendations, without proper scrutiny, could cause constitutional instability.

The Committee also states that it is not appropriate, or sustainable, to address the issue of additional powers for Scotland alone without considering the knock-on consequences for the wider UK constitution. 
 
The report concludes with a call for the UK Parliament to 'not simply accept the significant constitutional changes as a fait accompli but to ensure they receive the detailed scrutiny they require and any amendment that may be necessary.'
 
Commenting Lord Lang of Monckton, Chairman of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, said: “The recommendations in the Smith Commission report clearly have profound constitutional implications for every part of the UK. However the UK Parliament is expected to pass these proposals into law without significant amendment despite having been, in effect, excluded from the decision-making process. This is not the way to implement significant constitutional change.
 
“We were astonished to hear that the Government have not properly considered the impact on the rest of the UK of implementing the Smith Commission proposals. Piecemeal, ad hoc changes to the Scottish devolution settlement without wider consideration of their impact could well destabilise the Union as a whole in the longer term. The major UK-wide political parties need urgently to devise and articulate a vision for the future shape of the Union and its devolution settlements. Without this, there cannot be any long-term constitutional stability.”

SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP said: “The Smith Commission’s recommendations were already underwhelming and were then watered down further by the UK government’s paper. Now we have unelected Lords being grudging about even these reduced powers.

“The Lords report concludes with a call for the UK Parliament to “not simply accept” more powers for Scotland.

“This follows on from a similar House of Commons report, and is the kind of out of touch approach that is doing such damage to all of the Westminster parties, and for which they may pay a heavy price for at the General Election.

"The debate in Scotland is about how to get maximum power in order to counter Westminster’s continued cuts programme – which both Labour and Tories have signed up to for the next parliament.

“The limited powers recommended by the Smith Commission do not live up to the pre-referendum rhetoric of the Vow from the Westminster parties.

“A strong team of SNP MPs in May will mean a strong voice for Scotland - to win the power promised for Scotland, reverse cuts in favour of investing in growth and jobs, and stop the waste of tens of billions of pounds on a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons."