Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 April 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 27 April 2007. It was answered by David Cairns (Labour) on Thursday, 10 May 2007 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Devolution

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he received requests from the (a) Scottish Parliament and (b) Scottish Executive for the transfer of reserved matters from Westminster to Holyrood in each year since 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Section 30(2) of the Scotland Act provides a mechanism whereby Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 can be modified by an Order in Council, subject to the agreement of both the UK and Scottish Parliaments. It allows the boundaries of the Scottish Parliament’s legislative competence to be adjusted by removing existing reservations, adding new ones or updating existing ones. Scotland’s settlement was always intended to have scope for flexibility and section 30(2) provides for that. The following Section 30(2) Orders have been made since 2002:"2002/1629 (The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2002)""2004/3392 (The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004)""2005/865 (The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2005)""2005/866 (The Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2005)"

Secondary information