Tory 'No' Plans Unveiled

The Scottish Conservatives publish their plans on further devolution if Scots reject independence.

No more pocket-money parliament for Scotland.

That's the pledge from the Scottish Conservatives as they launch their vision of the future within the UK. 

A commission chaired by Lord Strathclyde is recommending that all income tax related powers are devolved to Holyrood:

Financial

• The Scottish Parliament should become responsible for setting rates and bands of income tax throughout Scotland. 

• A new Scottish Fiscal Commission should be created, independent of Government, and should be charged with producing official macro-

economic and fiscal forecasts in Scotland. 

• Scottish versions of the Personal Tax Statements should be issued by HMRC, highlighting taxes under the control of the Scottish Parliament.

• Responsibility for the state pension should remain with the UK.

• There is a case for devolving housing benefit and attendance allowance; additionally there is a case for conferring on the Scottish Parliament the power to supplement welfare benefits legislated for at UK level. 

Parliamentary and Governmental Reform

• New rules should be considered by the Scottish Parliament to improve legislative scrutiny with stronger checks and balances without a Second Chamber – for instance providing for Chairs of key Committees to come from the Opposition.

• Senior civil servants from Scotland, as part of their career progression, should be expected (and supported) to serve in other Departments of State in

the rest of the United Kingdom.

• The centralisation of powers from local to central government should be reversed and real devolution should be given to individuals with a greater role

for civic society and local government.

The Future

• A Committee of all the Parliaments and Assemblies of the United Kingdom should be created to consider the developing role of the United

Kingdom, its Parliaments and Assemblies and their respective powers, representation and financing.

Scottish Liberal Democrat and adviser to Willie Rennie, Lord Jeremy Purvis said:

 “The Strathclyde report today means that change to create a stronger Scotland inside the United Kingdom has now secured cross party support in the event of a No vote in the referendum.

“All parties are clearly and unequivocally supporting a stronger Scotland.

“This consensus for change is part of the momentum that started with the Campbell Commission and the Reform Scotland’s Devo Plus work.

“A growing centre of common ground has developed. This means that, in the referendum in September, the choice for people is between voting to stay in the UK but to improve it, or the take the increasing risks and unknowns of independence.

“We have argued for some time that a positive case needed to be made for change inside the United Kingdom. We have now reached that point with all parties in favour of change.”

The SNP says "the only way to get the powers Scotland needs to build a fairer society and stronger economy is to vote Yes in September."

Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson is telling us why it's in her words "a radical vision"