The Government are pledged to clean up and modernise British politics. We are committed to a comprehensive programme of constitutional reform. We believe it is right to decentralise power, to open up government, to reform Parliament and to increase individual rights.

The elements are well known:

• a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly giving the people of Scotland and Wales more control over their own affairs within the United Kingdom;

• an elected Mayor and new strategic authority for London with more accountability in the regions of England;

• new rights for citizens with the incorporation into UK law of the European Convention on Human Rights;

• Freedom of Information;

• a referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons.

This White Paper marks a major step forward in the achievement of our proposals. It sets out our proposals for the Scottish Parliament, on which the people of Scotland will have the opportunity to vote in a referendum in the autumn. I will be campaigning strongly for a double "yes" vote in the forthcoming referendum.

Scotland is a proud historic nation in the United Kingdom and the plans we put forward in this White Paper will give it an exciting new role within the United Kingdom.

TONY BLAIR