Calman Commission

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Jun 2009

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has welcomed the Final Report of the Calman Commission on Scottish Devolution. Robert Brown was Vice-Chair of the Liberal Democrats' Steel Commission which produced a major report, much of which has been taken up by Calman.

The Commission report makes a number of key proposals to strengthen the Scottish Parliament and to give it more powers over raising its own funding.

The other parties have also accepted proposals by Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott MSP for a steering group to deliver the changes recommended by Calman. It will be made up of the leadership of the respective parties who made up the commission - Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats.

Robert Brown said:

"Sir Kenneth Calman has given us a blueprint for the future of Scotland and its place in the United Kingdom. The Calman recommendations take us towards a real home rule settlement. It is a remarkable achievement that its recommendations - agreed by people of widely varying political views on the Commission - were unanimous.

The Report runs to some 300 pages and makes substantive recommendations on the powers of the Scottish Parliament, including financial powers and accountability, strengthened relationships between Westminster and Holyrood, and radical changes to the working procedures and rules of both Westminster and Holyrood. I welcome in particular the proposals for closer partnership working between Westminster and Edinburgh.

The current economic and financial crisis have shown the failings of trying to go it alone in the modern world, and demonstrated that separating Scotland off from the rest of the United Kingdom, as the SNP want, is in no one's interests.

Instead, we have a blueprint for a modern system of government for Scotland and the United Kingdom, with the Scottish Parliament responsible for raising much more of its own revenue. Politicians should not be able to take easy spending decisions without the responsibility of accounting for this money. Blaming Westminster should not be a get out clause.

Ten years after the Scottish Parliament was set up, the Calman Commission is an important milestone.

Note for Editors:

Key proposals of Calman Commission:

• The Scottish Parliament to have power over half of Income Tax. This has an impact on 2.4 million people and the 260,000 businesses that pay income tax rather than corporation tax. The Scottish Parliament will be obliged to set the rate every year to balance their budget. The Scottish Block will be reduced by the equivalent of 10p of income tax.

• The Scottish Parliament to gain borrowing powers - from the Pubic Loans Board and subject to the demonstrable ability to repay them.

• The Scottish Parliament to gain powers over Stamp Duty for land sales, aggregates levy, landfill tax and air passenger duty.

• The Scottish Parliament to have the powers to abolish these taxes or create new ones that better reflect the policy needs of Scotland.

• Liaison between Westminster and Holyrood to be put on a more formal basis and Ministers and officials will be expected to make themselves available to both parliaments.

On legislative powers, the Scottish Parliament is proposed to gain the electoral system, air guns and some road traffic offences; to have more influence over Health & Safety, immigration rules and council tax benefit; and to lose part of charity regulation and food content labelling. Energy powers are not proposed for change.