What recent discussions he has with the Finance Secretary of the Scottish Government on devolution of taxes.

What recent discussions he has with the Finance Secretary of the Scottish Government on devolution of taxes.

I have had frequent and largely constructive discussions with the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, including on the matter of devolution of taxes, as have my ministerial colleagues. The Scottish Minister recently met the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We have made huge progress in the area of tax devolution.

I have had frequent and largely constructive discussions with the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, including on the matter of devolution of taxes, as have my ministerial colleagues. The Scottish Minister recently met the Chancellor of the Exchequer. We have made huge progress in the area of tax devolution.

Yes, we have. The hon. Gentleman is right. The Smith commission—rightly, I believe—devolves power over rates and bands in the income tax system. It

does not devolve control of the tax base or the personal allowance. One of the bits of work that remains to be done is to ensure that we have a fiscal framework in place around that which means that the fact of devolution does not offer a financial advantage in and of itself either to Scotland or to the rest of the United Kingdom. I have had constructive discussions with John Swinney on that point and on many others. It is, of course, a matter for the Scottish Government to make sure that they have competent administrative machinery in place, which they will need next month when the process of the first wave of income tax devolution starts.

Yes, we have. The hon. Gentleman is right. The Smith commission—rightly, I believe—devolves power over rates and bands in the income tax system. It

does not devolve control of the tax base or the personal allowance. One of the bits of work that remains to be done is to ensure that we have a fiscal framework in place around that which means that the fact of devolution does not offer a financial advantage in and of itself either to Scotland or to the rest of the United Kingdom. I have had constructive discussions with John Swinney on that point and on many others. It is, of course, a matter for the Scottish Government to make sure that they have competent administrative machinery in place, which they will need next month when the process of the first wave of income tax devolution starts.

Bated breath might be overstating it, but I expect the new GERS figures very soon. In recent days we have seen evidence of the damage that the Scottish National party’s ideas would do to the UK economy—higher debt for the whole of the UK at the end of this Parliament than at the beginning of it, and an extra £5 billion a year being spent on interest payments. Having been defeated on its proposals for independence, which would have undermined and damaged the Scottish economy, the SNP seems inclined to offer the same damage to the UK economy as a whole.

Bated breath might be overstating it, but I expect the new GERS figures very soon. In recent days we have seen evidence of the damage that the Scottish National party’s ideas would do to the UK economy—higher debt for the whole of the UK at the end of this Parliament than at the beginning of it, and an extra £5 billion a year being spent on interest payments. Having been defeated on its proposals for independence, which would have undermined and damaged the Scottish economy, the SNP seems inclined to offer the same damage to the UK economy as a whole.

I am confident that the resource being applied at the HMRC end of the spectrum is sufficient to ensure that we can deliver the devolution that is planned. That process is going on at present. Stamp duty devolution starts in April this year and income tax devolution the following April. As to whether or not the Scottish Government are applying sufficient resource, effort or people to make sure that the tax system will be competently administered, that is a question for them to answer. I recently signed off the orders to devolve stamp duty, and they will now need to make sure that that is done properly.

I am confident that the resource being applied at the HMRC end of the spectrum is sufficient to ensure that we can deliver the devolution that is planned. That process is going on at present. Stamp duty devolution starts in April this year and income tax devolution the following April. As to whether or not the Scottish Government are applying sufficient resource, effort or people to make sure that the tax system will be competently administered, that is a question for them to answer. I recently signed off the orders to devolve stamp duty, and they will now need to make sure that that is done properly.

I am afraid that it is a feature of devolution, which the hon. Lady and I both support, that devolved Administrations have to take responsibility for matters that are in their purview. Frankly speaking, it is not for the Treasury to send officials to bail out Revenue Scotland. If it approaches us and says that it does not have enough people, it cannot do it and it is not ready, that is fine. But having discussed the matter with John Swinney and received assurances that he believes that it is in a good position to carry on taking on those functions and to do so properly, that is sufficient for me to sign the orders to hand over the powers.

I am afraid that it is a feature of devolution, which the hon. Lady and I both support, that devolved Administrations have to take responsibility for matters that are in their purview. Frankly speaking, it is not for the Treasury to send officials to bail out Revenue Scotland. If it approaches us and says that it does not have enough people, it cannot do it and it is not ready, that is fine. But having discussed the matter with John Swinney and received assurances that he believes that it is in a good position to carry on taking on those functions and to do so properly, that is sufficient for me to sign the orders to hand over the powers.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional resources to the devolved administrations to tackle coastal erosion.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional resources to the devolved administrations to tackle coastal erosion.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid to (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in the Barnett consequentials in each of the last five years.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid to (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in the Barnett consequentials in each of the last five years.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Barnett consequentials arise from the measures announced in the Autumn Statement on 3 December 2014.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Barnett consequentials arise from the measures announced in the Autumn Statement on 3 December 2014.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the devolution of corporation tax in 2014.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the devolution of corporation tax in 2014.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect of reductions in local government departmental expenditure limits on the block grants for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect of reductions in local government departmental expenditure limits on the block grants for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to devolve new fiscal powers to the Greater London Authority.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to devolve new fiscal powers to the Greater London Authority.

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend, and the Deputy Prime Minister has been championing that agenda in government for the last four and a half years. If the leaders of Leeds wish to come forward with proposals for further devolution and more power over the things he has been talking about, to ensure that we get the right economic developments in the Leeds area, we would be delighted to have those discussions in an active way, to try to settle a deal there as well.

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend, and the Deputy Prime Minister has been championing that agenda in government for the last four and a half years. If the leaders of Leeds wish to come forward with proposals for further devolution and more power over the things he has been talking about, to ensure that we get the right economic developments in the Leeds area, we would be delighted to have those discussions in an active way, to try to settle a deal there as well.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he has taken to support tourism in the devolved administrations.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he has taken to support tourism in the devolved administrations.

I have not heard a definitive refusal directly from the Welsh Government, although I have heard some very disappointing comments from members of the Labour party in this House. The changes we are

proposing to make following the Silk commission, including the devolution of income tax powers to the Welsh Assembly, subject to a referendum, constitute an important package of reforms that will strengthen the accountability of the Welsh Government as well as the economic levers available to them.

I have not heard a definitive refusal directly from the Welsh Government, although I have heard some very disappointing comments from members of the Labour party in this House. The changes we are

proposing to make following the Silk commission, including the devolution of income tax powers to the Welsh Assembly, subject to a referendum, constitute an important package of reforms that will strengthen the accountability of the Welsh Government as well as the economic levers available to them.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Barnett consequentials for which projects have been paid to (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 2010; what such payments are currently under discussion; and what amount of such payments has been agreed to be paid in...

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Barnett consequentials for which projects have been paid to (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 2010; what such payments are currently under discussion; and what amount of such payments has been agreed to be paid in...

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a statement of funding policy for the devolved administrations including comparability factors following his spending review statement of 26 June 2013.

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a statement of funding policy for the devolved administrations including comparability factors following his spending review statement of 26 June 2013.

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to devolve fiscal accountability to the National Assembly for Wales.

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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to devolve fiscal accountability to the National Assembly for Wales.

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I do agree with that. The Government established the Commission on Devolution in Wales to consider, as part of its remit, how to increase the fiscal accountability and autonomy of the Welsh Assembly Government. We are carefully considering the commission’s recommendations and we will respond in due course, having discussed the matter with the Welsh Assembly Government.

I do agree with that. The Government established the Commission on Devolution in Wales to consider, as part of its remit, how to increase the fiscal accountability and autonomy of the Welsh Assembly Government. We are carefully considering the commission’s recommendations and we will respond in due course, having discussed the matter with the Welsh Assembly Government.