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Queen's Speech
18/11/2009
Minister for Parliamentary Business Bruce Crawford has commented on today's Queen's Speech.
Mr Crawford said:
"Today's Queen's Speech sets out the UK legislative programme for the last parliamentary session before the General Election. We have been working closely with UK counterparts to agree a range of proposals which will be of benefit to Scotland.
"Of the 13 bills mentioned in the Speech, eight will contain devolved provisions. We will be asking the Scottish Parliament to pass Legislative Consent Motions covering these bills.
"But despite this constructive work, I am genuinely disappointed that the UK Government is still refusing to devolve further powers to Scotland.
"Clear recommendations were put forward earlier this year by the Commission on Scottish Devolution. There is a broad concensus in Scotland around key changes - such as devolution of responsibility for firearms, drink driving and the running of Scottish Parliamentary elections. They also have missed the opportunity to take forward Scottish Parliament borrowing powers through the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.
"The case for further devolution of such issues is obvious. Both the National Conversation and the Commission on Scottish Devolution have demonstrated that the people of Scotland want increased powers for our Parliament.
"It is a real missed opportunity if these changes are to be delayed until after the next UK election or pushed even further away.
"Further devolution in key areas could be delivered very quickly. The Scottish Government has even drafted and published the necessary Scotland Act Orders. All the UK Government has to do is commit to taking them through Westminster and the job's as good as done.
Mr Crawford also gave further detail of the Legislative Consent Motions which will be brought forward in the Scottish Parliament. These proposed legislative changes will be in addition to the Scottish Government's own legislative programme published on September 3, 2009.
He continued:
"The Scottish Government expects to lodge memoranda and motions for these Bills once they are introduced in the UK Parliament. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to determine matters on the basis of its democratic mandate."
Details of The Queen's Speech are available on the UK Government's website.
The Scottish Government's Programme for Government, Towards a More Successful Scotland, was published on September 3.
The UK bills which the Scottish Government currently expects to give rise to Legislative Consent Motions in the Scottish Parliament are:
Bribery - to modernise the law on bribery by creating two new offences covering the bribery of foreign public officials and corporate liability for negligently failing to prevent bribery.
Crime and Security - to extend regulation of the private security industry in Scotland in a manner which is consistent with analogous new provisions for England and Wales.
Energy - to support movement by the UK to a low carbon economy, including through the funding of up to four Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) commercial-scale demonstration projects.
Financial Services - to promote stability, efficiency and competition in financial markets, including through the provision to the public of advice and education in relation to financial matters.
Flood and Water Management - to ensure clarity in relation to the regulation of cross border reservoirs, in the context of measures to better protect England and Wales from flooding.
In addition, three UK bills are being carried over from the 2009-09 session. LCMs for these bills have already been lodged in the Scottish Parliament.
Child Poverty - to provide statutory underpinning for the UK commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020, and to place new duties on Scottish Ministers in relation to the Scottish child poverty strategy; the new Child Poverty Commission (CPC); and the appointment of a Commissioner to the CPC.
Constitutional Reform and Governance - to place management of the Civil Service on a statutory basis and place a reporting duty on the First Minister in relation to the employment of Special Advisers. The bill also revokes the devolution of competence which enabled the Scottish Parliament to legislate in relation to human rights claims against the devolved administrations ("Somerville"). It maintains the effect of that legislation and extends similar arrangements to Wales and Northern Ireland.
Equality - to revise and extend the law on discrimination and to enable Scottish Ministers to make regulations to assist disabled people in the adaption of common parts of buildings. A Scottish Government consultation on the extension to Scotland of a further socio-economic duty concluded on 26 October and will inform consideration of this aspect to the bill.
It is possible that further opportunities to legislate for Scotland by means of Legislative Consent Motion may occur in connection with other UK bills, including Private Member's bills. Any additional proposals of this kind, together with any relevant amendments to the Government bills listed above, will be drawn to the attention of the Parliament as they arise, in line with the requirements of Standing Orders.