Scotland without its own parliament ‘unthinkable’

In two decades since devolution vote, parliament is established in Scottish life

It is “unthinkable” that Scotland would be without its own parliament, 20 years on from the devolution vote, a former Holyrood presiding officer said.

Sir Alex Fergusson is one of five MSPs who have been elected to the role in the Scottish Parliament – which is similar to that of the Speaker in the House of Commons.

The creation of the devolved parliament has “radically altered” life in Scotland, he said.

Since it was set up MSPs have passed landmark legislation, introducing free personal care for the elderly, making Scotland the first part of the UK to ban smoking in public places and abolishing fees for Scottish students at universities north of the border.

“We now have almost a full generation of young people who have never known life without a Scottish Parliament, and I think the thought of a Scotland without its own parliament is an unthinkable one,” he said

“It has become, and did become in a very short space of time, totally established within Scottish life and I think that is one of the things that is so notable about a brand new parliament quickly becoming part of life in Scotland.”

In a ballot held on September 11 1997, 74.3% backed the creation of the new body, while almost two thirds (63.5%) said it should have limited tax-raising powers – with MSPs then allowed to alter the basic rate of income tax by up to 3p.

Now Holyrood has far greater powers over income tax, with members responsible for setting the rates and bands that apply north of the border.

Those new powers were brought in after the independence referendum – in which Scots voted by 55% to 45% to stay in the UK – with current Scottish Secretary David Mundell saying this put right a “flaw” in the original arrangements, under which Holyrood lacked financial power and was not directly accountable for the money it spends.

The lack of substantive tax-raising powers saw Holyrood dubbed a “pocket money parliament”, as it was reliant on Westminster for its budget.

In statements released by the UK Government to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1997 ballot, Mr Mundell said: “The Scottish Parliament is the most powerful devolved parliament of its kind anywhere in the world, the challenge it has now is to use those powers for the benefit of the people of Scotland.”

It was Tony Blair who, after sweeping to power in 1997, arranged for referendums on devolution to be held in both Scotland and Wales.

Mr Blair said devolution would “show the whole of the United Kingdom that there is a better way that Britain can be governed, that we can bring power closer to the people, closer to the people’s priorities”.

Two decades on from that vote, former Labour first minister Jack McConnell said that “the Scottish Parliament has really realised its potential”.

He hailed “massive reforms to land ownership in Scotland” and claimed the “landmark acts of the new Scottish Parliament in my view justify the creation of a devolved Scottish Parliament and show us what a devolved parliament can actually achieve”.

“The Scottish Parliament is the most powerful devolved parliament of its kind anywhere in the world. SCOTTISH SECRETARY DAVID MUNDELL

Pictures: PA/Andrew Cowan. Tony Blair, left with Donald Dewar, arranged for the referendum. Top: Sir Alex Fergusson says the Scottish Parliament is fully established. Above: David Mundell says the parliament now has more powers.