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Scottish Secretary Michael Moore to appear before MSPs Scots referendum clarity move 'not ruled out'
(about 9 hours later)
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore will appear before MSPs to answer questions about devolving more powers to Scotland. Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has declined to explicitly rule out any UK interference in the forthcoming independence referendum.
Scotland Office Minister David Mundell will also appear before Holyrood's Scotland Bill Committee. Mr Moore said the coalition was "not intending" to bring forward a clarity clause in Westminster legislation to set out the terms for the referendum.
MSPs are examining the legislation passing through Westminster. He told MSPs the point was "hypothetical" and recognised the SNP's right to run the independence vote.
The committee will also hear from Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney and Government Strategy Minister Bruce Crawford. The SNP's Linda Fabiani said she was "disappointed" at Mr Moore's comments.
The session is the last before a report, and recommendations to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish secretary was answering questions from a special committee of MSPs set up to scrutinise the Scotland Bill, currently going through Westminster.
The Scottish government has demanded that borrowing, corporation tax, EU representation, excise duty, broadcasting and the Crown Estate Commission are all devolved in the bill. The legislation will devolve new tax and other powers from Westminster to Scotland, but the SNP argues the measures do not go far enough.
The SNP administration has said it would hold a referendum on independence in the second half of the current five-year Scottish Parliament. The SNP government is holding a referendum on independence in the second half of the current five-year Scottish Parliament.
However, Mr Moore has said the UK government remained "unconvinced" by most of the SNP proposals. Concerns have been raised that a "clarity clause" inserted into the Scotland Bill may set the timetable and terms of the independence referendum, which Scottish ministers would have to adhere to.
Last week a Cambridge University academic said the UK government had privately ruled out any chance that Scotland would gain control over corporation tax. The term takes its name from the Clarity Act, a law passed by the Canadian government which laid down detailed provisions for holding a referendum by Quebec, to help ensure the clear will of the people had been expressed.
Dr Graham Gudgin told the Scotland Bill Committee he had been briefed by senior Whitehall sources that they would not hand this power to Edinburgh. Ms Fabiani, the committee convener, asked Mr Moore: "Will you ensure that, in the Scotland Bill, there is nothing that interferes with the right of the Scottish government representing the Scottish people to see the timing and the wording of the questions for that referendum?
However, a Scotland Office spokesman said UK ministers "have ruled nothing out at this stage". Referendum timescale
"It plays no part in the bill and what we're interested in is getting this package of measures on the statue book and implemented."
She asked: "If it plays no part in the bill, are you saying it will not be in the bill?"
The Scottish secretary answered: "I don't anticipate it will be - it's not what this government is bringing forward."
He later added: "We're not intending to bring forward any such proposition."
Ms Fabiani said: "I'm disappointed, secretary of state, that you will not give that clarity for the Scottish people."
Mr Moore also said the Scottish government - which is not giving a precise timescale for the referendum - must bring it forward "sooner rather than later".
He added: "I'd like there to be some clarity about what the question will actually be and, indeed, how many questions there are going to be."
The Scotland Bill, although a piece of Westminster legislation, cannot go ahead without the backing of the Scottish Parliament - meaning the SNP could potentially scupper the laws by voting against them.