Quote of the day 13th November 2015

"I think it's honoured what the five parties agreed. So I think that's been honoured."
 
– Lord Smith
      
In order to implement "The Vow" under which the Unionist parties promised to deliver a package of more powers for Scotland within the UK if Scots voted to keep the Kingdom united, Lord Smith was asked to chair a commission which would hold talks between the Conservatives, Labour, Lib/Dems, Greens and SNP  hammer out that package.

His commission did reach an agreement which all five parties signed up to. The above quote is what Lord Smith said in an interview for ITV Border television this week when he was asked whether the Scotland Bill as passed by the House of Commons will, if it becomes law, deliver what his commission recommended.

He was adamant that his commission's proposals to give Holyrood powers over income tax rates and bands, and to supplement or create new benefits are reflected in the legislation, which is on its way to the House of Lords.

Ask if, having looked at it in some detail at the Bill, there was anything missing, he replied:
I don't believe so. Look: everyone's got an opinion, so I'm quite sure there will be people saying..."It's difficult to say that in the taxation area because that's very straightforward, but in the welfare area you may find people saying I don't think this quite delivers."
It's quite a complicated thing to deliver though: hundred and hundreds of laws cover the area of welfare. But I honestly believe it does deliver and I was here listening to every word."
– Lord Smith

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