Question
Almost two weeks ago, the Prime Minister gave a speech about devolution in Scotland. Since then, the Government have not clarified anything. Is the Prime Minister suggesting more powers to Scotland, or does he think that just by asking nicely the SNP will stop hoarding so many powers at Holyrood? Holyrood is already one of the world’s most devolved Parliaments; the issue is not the powers but the party in power there that has created Europe’s most centralised Government. Will the Secretary of State confirm that this Labour Government will not devolve any further powers to the Scottish Parliament?
Answer
There is a certain irony in being told how devolution operates by a Conservative party that was deeply resistant to devolution when we established it; and I voted for the Scotland Act 1998. In reality, if people take the trouble to read the Prime Minister’s speech, and it bears reading, he was very clear that deeper devolution in the context of Scotland does not simply involve the transfer of power from one Parliament to another, but instead involves the decentralised agenda that is being driven right across the United Kingdom.40% point-scoring
Verdict: RED (10/100)
The reply touches only the first part of the question, mentioning the Prime Minister's 'deeper devolution' for Scotland, but it never plainly says whether more powers would go to the Scottish Parliament. It does not address whether the Scottish Government would be expected to give up powers it already holds, and it neither confirms nor rules out holding back from further devolution. The asker would most likely need to submit a follow-up to get any specific, committed answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Prime Minister is proposing that the UK Government devolve more powers to the Scottish Parliament. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply refers to the Prime Minister's "deeper devolution" in Scotland and describes it as a decentralised agenda across the UK, which engages with the subject of new powers. It never says plainly whether the Prime Minister is proposing to devolve more powers to the Scottish Parliament, so the answer stays indirect. |
| Whether the Prime Minister expects the Scottish Government to stop holding powers it currently exercises simply by being asked to do so. | Not Addressed | Generic | Nothing in the reply addresses whether the Prime Minister expects the Scottish Government to give up powers it already exercises when asked; the reply's remarks about devolution not being a simple transfer between Parliaments do not engage with that point. |
| Whether the Government will confirm that it will not devolve any further powers to the Scottish Parliament. | Not Addressed | Generic | The reply neither confirms nor declines that the Government will refrain from devolving further powers; its talk of deeper devolution points the other way without giving the requested confirmation or refusal. |