Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 February 2016
23 Feb 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Fiscal Framework
Bruce Crawford is right to outline the breadth of support that there is for the Scottish Government’s position. Let me say, though, that what has mattered and will continue to matter to the Scottish Government is the outcome that we reach. We have put forward a proposal that we think best delivers that outcome, but it is the outcome rather than the precise route to the outcome that is the most important thing of all. I hope that we can reach agreement with the Treasury, and I hope that we can do that sooner rather than later.
A couple of weeks ago, I spoke to the Prime Minister by telephone. I think that it is entirely understandable that he has been engaged in other matters over the last week or so. However, I am very clear that if we do not manage to reach agreement with the Treasury on the key issue of the principle of no detriment, it will be incumbent on the Prime Minister to seek—with me—to reach an agreement that delivers the promise that he made. I remind the chamber and the wider public that that promise—the vow that we are talking about—is not my vow; it is the Prime Minister’s vow and it is incumbent on him to deliver it.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon giving an update on the fiscal framework. The First Minister will take questions at the end of he...
The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
I want to take this opportunity to update Parliament on the progress of the negotiations to agree a fiscal framework to accompany the Scotland Bill. Over rec...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I will now take questions on the issues that were raised in the First Minister’s statement—or rather, the First Minister will take questions on the issues th...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the First Minister for an advance copy of her statement. We in the Scottish Labour Party support the First Minister fully as she works to secure a g...
The First Minister
SNP
I thank Alex Rowley for his question and for the support that he expressed for the Scottish Government’s position. I made it clear in my statement and I make...
Ruth Davidson (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I thank the First Minister for early sight of her statement. I am encouraged to hear that on capital borrowing and financial transfers an agreement has been ...
The First Minister
SNP
I have always been willing to compromise. The Deputy First Minister has compromised in getting us to the position that we are in now. If we get a deal, as I ...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
First Minister, four out of five parties involved in the Smith commission, the STUC and almost all respected independent academic experts have argued for the...
The First Minister
SNP
Bruce Crawford is right to outline the breadth of support that there is for the Scottish Government’s position. Let me say, though, that what has mattered an...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the First Minister’s statement and I support her and the Deputy First Minister in working to secure the best deal for Scotland. I agree that there ...
The First Minister
SNP
I think that all of us accept that Barnett should continue while we remain in the current constitutional arrangements. That was the basis of the vow that was...
Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
LD
I thank the First Minister for advance sight of her statement. I want the First Minister to stick to the Scottish position. This morning, John Swinney told ...
The First Minister
SNP
I have made it clear that I want to deliver an outcome of no detriment. What is on the table would deliver that outcome for a transitional period. I think th...
Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride) (SNP)
SNP
During the Smith process, certain principles were key. I, and others in the chamber, can confirm that the principle of no detriment was one of those key prin...
The First Minister
SNP
No detriment is the principle that we have insisted on all along, and it is the principle that we will continue to insist on. As I set out, no detriment is ...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the First Minister for her statement. Although it is encouraging to see progress being made, there is obviously concern that the Treasury seems to vi...
The First Minister
SNP
As I said in my statement, a promise was made freely and unconditionally. It did not have a £2 billion or £3 billion or however many billions of pounds price...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The Parliament clearly wants to see a deal as soon as possible. Bruce Crawford referred to the fact that dissolution is fast approaching. Is the First Minist...
The First Minister
SNP
Let us concentrate on trying to negotiate to a successful conclusion in advance of dissolution. If we cannot do that, it will be for the Scottish people to e...
Alex Salmond (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
I join the Scottish Labour Party in giving full support to the First Minister’s position. There are no sides in this; there is only Scotland’s side. Recentl...
The First Minister
SNP
That is an important point. During the next few months, the Prime Minister will be campaigning in a referendum in which he will ask people to put faith in hi...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
The First Minister has stressed the principles of no detriment. Will they apply to the multimillion pound cost of setting up the administration of Scottish w...
The First Minister
SNP
Yes, and that will be borne out as we get into the scrutiny of a deal or, indeed, why there is no deal. The Smith commission said that we should be paid a fa...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
Will Parliament be able to scrutinise the proposed transitional arrangement properly during the last few weeks of the parliamentary session? Following the su...
The First Minister
SNP
I want Parliament to have the ability to fully scrutinise all aspects of any deal that is forthcoming. That is why, notwithstanding what I have said about be...
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
The First Minister has previously said that the Scottish Government would put proposals on the table based on per capita index reduction but tweaked to ensur...
The First Minister
SNP
Yes. The UK Government said that, in its view, our original per capita index reduction proposal would not meet the second Smith commission principle of taxpa...
Stuart McMillan (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Professor Anton Muscatelli and others have put estimates in the public domain of how much the different methods of indexation would cut Scotland’s budget by,...
The First Minister
SNP
Until recently, all the UK Government’s proposals would have delivered detriment. To be fair to the UK Government, I do not think that it is trying to hide t...