GOV.UK
Policy paper
Proposals for further devolution of powers to Scottish Parliament
Command Paper published today sets out the proposals of the 3 main UK political parties for further devolution.
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On 19 September 2014 the Smith Commission, chaired by Lord Smith of Kelvin, was established as a fully independent body to facilitate talks on the devolution of further powers to the Scottish Parliament. The Smith Commission will publish its Heads of Agreement in November this year. In parallel, the UK Government has agreed to:
- set out the range of proposals that have been made on further devolution
- provide secretariat support to the parties’ discussions and to wider consultation on those proposals
- respond to the Smith Commission’s Heads of Agreement. The UK Government’s response will take the shape of draft legislative proposals accompanied by an explanatory text in January 2015. These will form the basis of a Scotland Bill to be brought forward by the next UK Government in the new Parliament
This Command Paper fulfils the first of those commitments by setting out the published proposals by the 3 main UK political parties that have already been put forward for further devolution.