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Scotland Bill

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. This is a significant measure which will lead to the largest transfer of fiscal powers between Westminster and Scotland in 300 years, and it should be welcomed by all parties. My hon. Friend may be aware that yesterday that the First Minister apparently told the Institute of Directors that he planned to align taxes in Scotland with the rest of the UK, so the Scottish National party may now regard the actual requirement for tax-varying powers as insignificant. Lords amendment 1 seeks to improve the drafting of clause 3. Section 113 of the Scotland Act 1998 makes provision about the scope of subordinate legislation powers in that Act. Clause 3(1) amends section 113 of the Scotland Act so that the supplementary powers contained in section 113 also apply to Scottish Ministers' new power to make subordinate legislation about the administration of Scottish Parliament elections under section 12 of the 1998 Act. Lords amendment 1 would replace clause 3(1) with new provision having the same effect. The amendment would have the effect of restructuring section 113 and this would make it easier for provisions in this Bill or future legislation to provide that the supplementary powers contained in section 113 apply in relation to other powers that may be conferred on the Scottish Ministers. Clause 15 changes the name of the Scottish Executive to the Scottish Government. Lords amendments 7 and 8 are minor technical amendments that would ensure that all the references to ““Scottish Executive”” in section 44 of the Scotland Act are amended to ““Scottish Government””. Clause 22 makes provision for there to be a Crown Estate Commissioner who knows about conditions in Scotland. Lords amendments 10 and 11 would change the name of this Commissioner from the ““Scottish Crown Estate Commissioner””, to the ““Crown Estate Commissioner with special responsibility for Scotland””. I can confirm that the original title for the commissioner included in the Bill was taken from the Calman commission's own proposals and discussed with the Crown Estate. However, it is accepted that the amendments to the commissioner's title will properly reflect the role that the commissioner will play.