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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Scotland Bill: Commons voting on new Scottish powers | Scotland Bill: Commons voting on new Scottish powers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MPs are voting on amendments to the Scotland Bill as it completes its final stages in the Commons. | MPs are voting on amendments to the Scotland Bill as it completes 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 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 debate opened shortly after 16:30, with SNP MP Pete Wishart criticising the amount of time available to discuss the bill and its amendments. |
| A final vote on the bill needs to be carried out by 22:30. | A final vote on the bill needs to be carried out by 22:30. |
| 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. | |
| Amendments to the bill voted on so far include: | |
| 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." | 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". | 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". |
| 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 | Legislative consent |
| 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. | Assuming the bill is backed by MPs it will then be passed to the House of Lords for further consideration. |
| 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 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 has tabled more than 80 amendments which UK ministers claim allay criticism that the bill does not go far enough. | The UK government has 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 allow the Scottish government to create new benefits, the power to top-up reserved benefits such as tax credits and control of abortion law. | These include enhanced power over welfare which would allow the Scottish government to create new benefits, the power to top-up reserved benefits such as tax credits and control of abortion law. |
| In total, about 200 amendments and new clauses have been lodged on the bill. | In total, about 200 amendments and new clauses have been 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 | 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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". | 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 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". | 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". |
| 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". | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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." | "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." |