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Scotland Bill: Commons voting on new Scottish powers Scotland Bill: Scottish powers bill backed by Commons
(35 minutes later)
MPs are voting on amendments to the Scotland Bill as it completes its final stages in the Commons. MPs have backed the Scotland Bill on new devolved powers as it completed its final stages in the Commons.
The UK government has said the bill will make Holyrood the most powerful devolved assembly in the world, but the SNP says it does not go far enough. The UK government said the bill will make the Scottish Parliament the most powerful devolved assembly in the world.
The debate opened shortly after 16:30, with SNP MP Pete Wishart criticising the amount of time available to discuss the bill and its amendments. The SNP did not oppose the bill despite saying it still did not meet the Smith Commission recommendations.
A final vote on the bill needs to be carried out by 22:30. The bill will now be passed to the House of Lords for further consideration.
Under the bill, Holyrood will be given the power to set rates and bands of income tax from April 2017, keep half of all VAT receipts, and be given the ability to top up welfare benefits and create new payments. It will also need approval from Holyrood before receiving royal assent, which is scheduled to be in the spring of next year - ahead of May's Holyrood election.
A series of amendments tabled by the UK government aimed at clarifying and strengthening some sections of the bill have been approved. Under the bill, the Scottish Parliament will be given the power to set rates and bands of income tax from April 2017, keep half of all VAT receipts, and be given the ability to top up welfare benefits and create new payments.
Other amendments which have been voted on so far include: A series of amendments tabled by the UK government aimed at clarifying and strengthening some sections of the bill were approved.
Mr Wishart had earlier said the lack of time to debate the amendments was a "slap in the face" for Scotland, and added: "Scotland is watching these proceedings and it will not understand the gross disrespect shown to our nation's debate and our nation's business." These included control over abortion law and enhanced power over welfare, including the ability to top-up any cuts to tax credits made by the UK government.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Mr Wishart was "always angry at something", adding: "Each time we have discussed this bill we have had this sort of stunt". But amendments tabled by opposition parties were rejected.
These included SNP amendments which would have devolved full control over child and working tax credits and given the Scottish Parliament the power to decide whether and when to hold a referendum on independence.
A Labour amendment calling for an independent commission to be set up to examine whether full fiscal autonomy could work was rejected.
Mr Mundell said the vote on the bill would mark a "significant day for Scotland" as it would see "the public debate about our country's future move from questions of constitutional process and on to the real business of using power to improve people's lives".Mr Mundell said the vote on the bill would mark a "significant day for Scotland" as it would see "the public debate about our country's future move from questions of constitutional process and on to the real business of using power to improve people's lives".
He added: "The government's amendments will strengthen the Scotland Bill's provisions and clarify its delivery of the Smith Commission agreement. With that done, it will be time for Scotland's political parties to work together to make the new powers a success for everyone in Scotland.He added: "The government's amendments will strengthen the Scotland Bill's provisions and clarify its delivery of the Smith Commission agreement. With that done, it will be time for Scotland's political parties to work together to make the new powers a success for everyone in Scotland.
"The amendments put beyond doubt the bill fully delivers the Smith Commission agreement.""The amendments put beyond doubt the bill fully delivers the Smith Commission agreement."
Legislative consent The debate opened shortly after 16:30, with SNP MP Pete Wishart criticising the amount of time available to discuss the bill and its amendments.
'Gross disrespect'
Mr Wishart had earlier said the lack of time to debate the amendments was a "slap in the face" for Scotland, and added: "Scotland is watching these proceedings and it will not understand the gross disrespect shown to our nation's debate and our nation's business."
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Mr Wishart was "always angry at something", adding: "Each time we have discussed this bill we have had this sort of stunt".
But the SNP said the bill continued to be a "long, long way away" from the recommendations of the Smith Commission and of the Vow, which was made by the three main UK party leaders ahead of last year's independence referendum.But the SNP said the bill continued to be a "long, long way away" from the recommendations of the Smith Commission and of the Vow, which was made by the three main UK party leaders ahead of last year's independence referendum.
There was also anger from the SNP benches about MPs for English constituencies, including Labour's Graham Allen, taking up time during the debate to discuss issues such as English local government, which the SNP's leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, said had "absolutely nothing to do with the Scotland Bill".There was also anger from the SNP benches about MPs for English constituencies, including Labour's Graham Allen, taking up time during the debate to discuss issues such as English local government, which the SNP's leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, said had "absolutely nothing to do with the Scotland Bill".
Assuming the bill is backed by MPs it will then be passed to the House of Lords for further consideration. The UK government had tabled more than 80 amendments which UK ministers claimed allayed criticism that the bill does not go far enough. In total, about 200 amendments and new clauses were lodged on the bill.
The Scottish Parliament will also need to give its legislative consent before the bill receives royal assent, which is scheduled to be in the spring of next year - ahead of May's Holyrood election.
The UK government had tabled more than 80 amendments which UK ministers claim allay criticism that the bill does not go far enough.
These include enhanced power over welfare which would and control of abortion law.
In total, about 200 amendments and new clauses were lodged on the bill.
Mr Robertson, who criticised the lack of Conservative and Labour MPs attending the debate, said the UK government's amendments were a "welcome admission that the Scotland Bill published did not deliver Smith."Mr Robertson, who criticised the lack of Conservative and Labour MPs attending the debate, said the UK government's amendments were a "welcome admission that the Scotland Bill published did not deliver Smith."
But he said the amendments still failed to deliver the Smith recommendations in full, and "still fail Scotland".But he said the amendments still failed to deliver the Smith recommendations in full, and "still fail Scotland".
Fiscal autonomy
He added: "We in the SNP have tabled a range of amendments that will give the people of Scotland the powers that they were promised and the powers that they will need.He added: "We in the SNP have tabled a range of amendments that will give the people of Scotland the powers that they were promised and the powers that they will need.
"We have tabled amendments on tax credits, which will devolve control over all aspects of working and child tax credits, we have tabled amendments on employment rights, which will devolve control over employment rights and industrial relations to the Scottish Parliament.""We have tabled amendments on tax credits, which will devolve control over all aspects of working and child tax credits, we have tabled amendments on employment rights, which will devolve control over employment rights and industrial relations to the Scottish Parliament."
Among the other amendments tabled by the SNP ahead of the debate was one which would give Scotland full fiscal autonomy by handing control over all taxation, borrowing and public expenditure to Holyrood.Among the other amendments tabled by the SNP ahead of the debate was one which would give Scotland full fiscal autonomy by handing control over all taxation, borrowing and public expenditure to Holyrood.
The party's home affairs spokeswoman, Joanna Cherry, used the debate to call for Holyrood to be passed power to protect the Human Rights Act in Scotland. 'Fairer nation'
Mr Mundell said it would come as "no surprise" that the government was not accepting the SNP's full fiscal autonomy amendment, as he said there was "not a shred of evidence people want it".Mr Mundell said it would come as "no surprise" that the government was not accepting the SNP's full fiscal autonomy amendment, as he said there was "not a shred of evidence people want it".
But speaking earlier, Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh predicted either the Tories or Labour would promise full fiscal autonomy at the next election - a position which he supports. Labour's Shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, agreed with Mr Mundell that the bill delivered the Smith Commission recommendations in full.
Alberto Costa, the Conservative MP for Leicester South who is originally from Scotland, accused the SNP of a lack of "respect" and said that SNP MPs "simply want the destruction of Great Britain, and we will never allow that". He said: "Let's grab the opportunity to build a fairer nation, let's give the people across Scotland the powers they deserve and in the words of Donald Dewar there shall be a powerful Scottish parliament."
He said former First Minister Alex Salmond made "another vow", alongside the one made by Westminster party leaders promising more powers - that the independence referendum was "a once in a generation, perhaps even a once in a lifetime opportunity". Labour said it was now up to the SNP government at Holyrood to say how they were going to use the new powers.
And he said the SNP was trying to avoid accountability over its record in government by "blaming London and England for all the problems that they create".
Speaking ahead of the debate, Scottish Labour said the amended Scotland Bill more than fulfilled the Vow.
Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray MP said: "The challenge now is to the SNP government to tell us how they are going to use these powers.
"These powers create an incredible opportunity for Scotland, and we need politicians with the political will to use them.
"As a first step, Nicola Sturgeon should be telling people across Scotland how she will use the powers to restore the money lost from tax credit cuts."