Sunday 22 March 2009

CALMAN COMMISSION CLAWBACK “UNACCEPTABLE” TO SCOTS.


CALMAN COMMISSION CLAWBACK “UNACCEPTABLE” TO SCOTS.

Minutes of the Calman Commission showing it will consider recommending the return of powers from the Scottish Parliament to Westminster are “unacceptable.”

Commenting on the confirmation that the Commission will consider going against the wishes of the Scottish public for more powers to be located in Scotland SNP MSP Christine Grahame said;

“A clawback of powers by Westminster through the Calman Commission is completely unacceptable.

“The Scottish people voted for these powers in the devolution referendum and it is not for a Scotland Office Commission to take them back.

“The commission must make very clear that it will not recommend the return of powers to any London Government.

“Calman should, as the majority of the parliament and the Scottish public are, be joining the argument for borrowing and fiscal powers for Scotland to ensure we have the levers needed to manage our economy in good times and bad.

“Calman’s clawback commission is not setting the agenda, they are travelling back in time.

“The desire of Labour and Tory MPs for powers to be returned is no surprise. What is disturbing is the support of Lib Dem leadership for a Commission that wants to return powers to London.

“All parties and the Commission itself must make clear that they do not support the return of powers - over nuclear planning or anything else - to Westminster.”

MORE INFO;

1. http://www.sundaypost.com/postindex.htm
2. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/politics/Salmond-fury-at-Calman-plan.5096633.jp

3. Minutes of the 12th meeting of the “Commission on Scottish Devolution”
12. There was a brief discussion about the issue of re-reservation, and when it might be appropriate to consider reserving to the UK Parliament matters that are currently devolved, the underlying question being the extent to which divergence within the UK was acceptable. It was generally agreed that there were unlikely to be many areas where re-reservation was an appropriate option, but that they should not be ruled out in principle.

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