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The Queen's Speech
03/12/2008
Minister for Parliamentary Business Bruce Crawford has commented on today's Queen's Speech.
He said:
"The Scottish Government will work constructively with our UK counterparts to take forward proposals which benefit the people of Scotland.
"However, the UK Government's programme is another illustration of why Scotland's Parliament needs the full range of responsibilities - including economic, financial and borrowing powers - so that we can make our nation fairer and more prosperous.
"The UK Government's planned £1 billion cut from Scotland's budget shows the real cost of Westminster being in charge of the purse-strings.
"The impact of this £1 billion cut on our public services would be severe, and Scotland must do all it can to make the government in London think again."
Mr Crawford also confirmed that the Scottish Government will bring forward Legislative Consent Motions in connection with a number of UK bills. These proposed legislative changes will be in addition to the Scottish Government's own legislative programme published on September 3.
The UK bills currently expected to give rise to Legislative Consent Motions in the Scottish Parliament are:
- Equality - to include Scotland in the extension of public sector duties and address inequities on age, sexual orientation and belief
- Coroners and Justice - ensuring that criminal in Scotland do not profit by writing about their crimes by joining with the UK Government in a UK wide civil scheme for the recovery of profits from criminal memoirs
- Local Democracy, Economic Regeneration and Construction - to include Scotland in amendments to new Construction Contracts legislation, ensuring consistency across the UK, a desire expressed by the industry in consultations
- Marine and Coastal Access - introduces measures to Scotland which ensure the sustainable development of the marine environment within environmental limits and gives an enhanced role to Scottish Government to address issues exclusive to Scottish waters, as well as to provide for greater integration with UK Marine Planning
- Policing and Crime - To close the loophole regarding Football Banning Orders, as requested by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth after the incidents witnessed at the UEFA Cup final in Manchester earlier this year
Mr Crawford said:
"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."