'We recognise that independence is a perfectly legitimate aspiration.' Scottish Liberal Democrat Policy Document.
Best For Scotland - A Real Scottish Parliament
The following document is taken from the SNP's reading room
Abstract
The political will of the people of Scotland cannot be reflected without a parliament, and cannot be acted on without sovereignty. The Labour Party propose a new political forum for the people of Scotland in the form of an assembly. But that assembly would be powerless because sovereignty would remain in London, and so it would be politically and financially subordinate to Westminster
Constitutional Arrangements for an Independent Scotland
Scotland needs Independence to deliver sovereignty to the people, to establish a real parliament, and to guarantee fundamental rights and liberties in a written constitution.
The Power of A Real Scottish Parliament
An Independent Scottish Parliament would take control of Scottish affairs, both domestically and in the ever-important European Union, and use Scottish resources to deliver the jobs, prosperity, and social welfare demanded by the people of Scotland
Why Devolution Cannot Deliver
Devolution could not deliver sovereignty, and an assembly would be financially dependent on Westminster. Political will could not be exercised in, for example management of the economy, in social policy, in defence, in taxation, in European and international affairs. Labour's toothless Scottish assembly would be little more than a Westminster sub-committee.
Detail
1. Constitutional Arrangements for an Independent Scotland
The SNP have a full set of proposals for an independent Scottish Parliament, based on modern, democratic principles, with a fair electoral system and a written Constitution. The SNP's constitutional proposals also include a Bill of Rights to ensure that Scotland offers all of its citizens full rights and protection.
1.1 Scottish Sovereignty
Only with Independence can the people of Scotland take full control and responsibility for their country. Under SNP proposals, sovereignty would rest with the people of Scotland, and would be exercised through the Parliament. This contrasts with the Westminster situation, where the English system of parliamentary sovereignty applies.
Only independence offers the people of Scotland full sovereignty. Under other constitutional settlements, Westminster remains sovereign, and Scotland is deprived of the power to control her own affairs, and the right to represent herself in the world community.
1.2 A Written Constitution
The SNP propose a constitution, based on the following principles:
The right of the people of Scotland to self-determination and to sovereignty over the territory and natural resources of Scotland.
Legislative power exercised through a single-tier parliament
Fundamental rights and liberties guaranteed by law in a written Constitution.
A limited and constitutional monarchy, with executive power exercised on the advice of Parliament.
Supreme judicial power vested in the Court of Session and the High Court. The independence of the judiciary will be guaranteed.
1.3 The Structure of a Scottish Parliament
The SNP propose a modern, democratic Parliament. The main proposals are detailed here:
Single tier Parliament of 200 members.
Election by universal suffrage, by all aged 16 or over.
Two members will be elected from each constituency, using the Alternative Vote system. The remaining 56 will be drawn from Party lists using the Additional Member system. This form of PR will ensure that representation reflects the proportion of votes cast per party.
A powerful structure of Standing and Select Committees, to propose legislation and enquire into matters of public concern.
Fixed four year terms.
Parliament will elect a Prime Minister, who will form a Government of members of Parliament.
The public will have right of access to Parliament. Select Standing Committees will be under obligation to consult widely, hold public hearings and invite submissions. Their proceedings, and the proceedings of Parliament will be open to broadcast and to the press.
2. The Power of a Real Scottish Parliament
The SNP's proposals for a new constitutional settlement would give the people of Scotland the same democratic control over their affairs and resources as our European neighbours in comparable countries such as Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands. Scotland would be afforded full financial control of her affairs, and would be properly represented in the decision making processes of Europe. This would being vital aspects of Scottish life under the control of the people of Scotland, for example:
2.1 Economy
The Process Of Independence
In October of 1995, Mackay Consultants - a leading firm of economic and management consultants - produced a report which detailed the economic impact of the actual process of Independence.
Their findings were extremely positive. Mackay Consultants forecast that the dynamism of the Independence process would be so great that the actions of becoming independent alone would bring up to 4,500 new public sector and 7,000 new private sector jobs to Scotland.
Mackay Consultants estimate that an additional £375 million per annum could be brought to Scotland with the increase in GDP brought about with the transition to Independence. This report laid to rest once and for all the myth that Independence would lead to economic decline; to the contrary, the job opportunities which would be created by Independence are far too valuable to be missed.
The Potential for A Scottish Parliament to Create Economic Success
A real Scottish Parliament could take control of economic policy; enabling a growth strategy to be tailored to suit the needs of the people of Scotland, making optimum use of all of Scotland's resources. As detailed in "Towards a Better Scotland (November 1995), during the first four years of Independence, a Scottish Parliament would have the potential to:
Create 116,500 new jobs
Create an extra £3 billion worth of growth in the Scottish economy - £3 billion which would be lost if Scotland does not become independent
Reform taxation to stimulate economic growth
Create a Scottish Exports Unit
2.2 Social Security
An Independent Scottish Parliament would have the power to use Scottish prosperity and resources to fight poverty. Costed options proposed by the SNP in our independent budget include:
Increase Pensions by £3 for a single person and £5 for a couple
Increase child benefit to £12
Restore benefits to 16 and 17 year olds and students
Development of a Cold Climate Allowance
2.3 New Finance for Scotland
The SNP's proposals for an Independent Scotland could be paid for by:
The savings from cutting unemployment
Additional North Sea revenues
Extra Corporation Tax generated by economic growth
Savings from Trident and other defence savings
Scotland's budget surplus vis-a-vis the UK, and the benefits of Independence.
2.4 Trident
An independent Parliament would have the power to remove the danger posed by decaying Polaris nuclear submarines currently abandoned at Rosyth by Westminster. An Independent Scottish Parliament would remove the unwanted Trident weapons system from Faslane, freeing up some £125 million over four years, which would be directed back into the Scottish economy.
2.5 Europe
An independent Scotland, as a sovereign nation, would be entitled to full European representation, with an ambassador to the EU, the right to appoint a Commissioner, the right to participate in the Council of Ministers, and sixteen members of the European Parliament (double the number Scotland receives at the moment). The people of Scotland would have a direct voice in Europe, able to participate fully in all European affairs to the advantage of the people of Scotland.
Independence would mean that Scotland could take a real and meaningful place as a small nation in the European Union. For Example, Scotland - like Ireland at the present moment - would be entitled to hold the Presidency of the European Union on a rotating basis.
The BSE crisis illustrates how urgently Scotland needs proper European representation. Despite the fact that from the start of the crisis, it was an acknowledged that BSE was much less prevalent in Scotland than in England (Scotland's rate of infection being only one fifth the rate of infection south of the Border), the Government refused to take anything other than a whole UK - ie English - approach to the problem, which would have avoided Scotland's beef industry being damaged by a high incidence of BSE in parts of England.
The Government's non co-operation policy in Europe during the beef crisis jeopardised the whole of the Scottish economy. With 55 per cent of Scotland's manufactured exports destined for the EU, and Scotland exporting 60 per cent more per employee to the EU, it is clear that Scotland cannot afford European relations to be left to anti-European Westminster.
3. Why Devolution Cannot Deliver
3.1 Sovereignty
The Labour Party have made it clear that sovereignty will always remain at Westminster:
"We would not be transferring sovereignty ... the powers could in theory, be taken back." (Jack Straw MP, On The Record, 12/2/95)
"The UK Parliament of course remains sovereign" (George Robertson MP, 27/6/96)
Without Independence, sovereignty remains in London, and the people of Scotland are deprived of the ability to run their own country. Without sovereignty, any Scottish assembly will always be subordinate to the whims of Westminster politicians.
3.2 Finance
Labour's proposals depend on the willingness of a London government to fund an Assembly. Labour ditched their commitment to the Constitutional Convention's recommendation that a Scottish Assembly should have a percentage of revenues assigned to fund it. They instead would rely on a block grant decided by the Westminster government of the day.
The proposal to give a Scottish Assembly the power to alter income tax by 3p in the pound - now subject to a rigged referendum represents less than five per cent of the Scottish Office budget. In other words, Labour's Assembly would have less control over its finances than local authorities, who currently have the ability to raise 15 per cent of their expenditure.
Without control over Scottish revenues - including North Sea revenues - Labour's Scottish Assembly can never be anything more than a sub-committee of Westminster, spending a pocket-money budget. Any policy decided by Labour's Scottish Assembly would be totally dependent on Westminster supporting that policy with finance.
3.3 Economy
Without sovereignty, or the ability to be in control of Scottish revenues, Labour's Assembly would clearly have no ability to make effective decisions regarding Scotland's economy. Labour's Assembly could certainly not provide an alternative economic policy, tailored to Scotland's needs.
Without sovereignty, a restructuring of taxation is not possible. For example, having lower business tax in Scotland than in England is a vital part of the SNP's proposals to expand economic activity in Scotland, yet this would not be possible through Labour's proposed Assembly. And the benefits of a successful and prosperous Scottish economy would be lost with devolution, as it would not be possible for a Scottish Assembly to access the additional corporation tax which would be generated by an expanding economy.
Controls over trade and industry would still remain with Westminster. A Scottish Assembly would be powerless to prevent for example, the privatisation of the post office, or the railways.
3.4 Oil Revenues
North sea revenues are expected to double from £1.6 billion in 1994/95 to £3.2 billion in 1996/97, yet Labour's Assembly would not give Scotland access to our massive North Sea oil and gas reserves. Scotland would also have no control over the management of her oil fields, and would have no control over 'dash for gas' which is currently taking place as one of the most serious mis-managements of the North Sea's resources.
Under successive UK Governments, the people of Scotland have seen no benefit from the vast oil reserves in the North Sea. Over £100,000 million in oil revenues have already been siphoned off to be squandered by Westminster and lost to the people of Scotland.
In oil, Scotland has been given a unique opportunity for prosperity, yet Scottish oil reserves have so far been used to do nothing more than disguise the failure of the bankrupt British economy. Scotland needs sovereignty to take the opportunities provided by oil for the benefit of the country. Devolution could not stop Scottish oil revenues being squandered in London.
3.5 Social Security
Social security currently represents one third of public expenditure in the UK, yet a Scottish Assembly would have no control over this major item - either in setting budgets, or directing how the money should be spent.
A Scottish Assembly would have no remit to alter the way the way in which the basic system of welfare is delivered. It would be unable to restore benefits to 16 & 17 year olds, would be unable to increase pension levels, or to re-establish any of the welfare benefits removed by the Conservatives. If Scotland voted on a mainstream policy of improving social welfare and working to eradicate poverty, the Assembly would be powerless to take action.
3.6 Defence
Defence expenditure represents almost one tenth of public expenditure in the UK, and again, a Scottish Assembly 's remit would not include defence.
A Scottish Assembly would be powerless to remove Trident from the Clyde, or to prevent decaying nuclear submarines being abandoned at Rosyth.
Without control over this area of expenditure, employment in Scotland's defence sector would be at the mercy of Westminster. Rosyth's closure has clearly illustrated that Scottish defence jobs cannot be trusted to London politicians.
3.7 Europe
Devolution could not provide Scotland with a voice in Europe. To be given representation at a European level - in the critical Council of Ministers- Scotland would require to be a Member State of the European Union.
Labour proposes to establish a Scottish Representative Office in Europe, but this would have no more rights than any of the other ten thousand lobbyists in Europe, which include groups such as the Federation of Aerosol Producers and the Italian Ice-cream Manufacturers Association. In order to have representation as a nation, Scotland must have representation as a Member State, not a UK region.
SNP Research Dept - August 1996
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