The following is the result of the Smith Commission to 'strengthen' the Scottish Parliament
*Scotland is forbidden from setting a National Minimum Wage
*Scotland is forbidden from setting Inheritance Tax
*Scotland is forbidden from taxing oil and gas revenue
*Scotland is forbidden from changing taxes on fuel
*Scotland is forbidden from tax incentivisation for clinical research
*Scotland is forbidden from changing duty on tobacco
*Scotland is forbidden from changing duty on alcohol
*Scotland is forbidden from changing more than 30% of its taxes
*Scotland is forbidden from varying Statutory Sick Pay
*Scotland is forbidden from changing the Equality Act
*Scotland receives no extra money from VAT
*Scotland is forbidden from setting Guardian's Allowance
*Scotland is forbidden from setting National Insurance
*Scotland is forbidden from exploring a foreign policy
*Scotland is forbidden from changing the JobCentre network
*Scotland is forbidden from setting Statutory Maternity Pay
*Scotland is forbidden from changing more than 15% of its Welfare powers
*There is a 1960s northern Ireland-style Unionist Veto on electoral reform
*Scotland is forbidden from holding constitutional referendums
*Scotland is forbidden from setting a state pension
*Scotland is forbidden from setting Child Benefit rates
*Scotland is forbidden from changing Universal Credit
*Scotland is forbidden from removing Weapons of Mass Destruction
*Scotland is forbidden from changing the Income Tax allowance
*Scotland is forbidden from renationalising public transport
*Scotland is forbidden from abolishing Labour's Bedroom Tax
*Scotland is forbidden from setting a Bereavement Allowance
*Scotland is forbidden from extricating Housing Benefit from UC
*Scotland is forbidden from receiving revenue from savings and dividends
Tommy
ReplyDeleteYou could not write it could you if you tried yourself. The Smith Commission has to go down as one of the biggest con jobs in the history of Scotland. I never expected that Holyrood would get anything really significant but never expected so little in the recommendations and most of them won’t even get through Westminster. The comments about Home Rule etc were a disgrace, as was the Daily Rangers saying the vow had been met. I wonder how many of the no voters swayed by Brown are happy now. Bought and sold for English Gold.
Bruce