Scots civil servants under scrutiny after indy ruling
● UK government looks at Holyrood spending in wake of judgment on referendum plan
The role of civil servants in Scotland is being re-examined by the UK government as Nicola Sturgeon faces growing pressure to reallocate the £20 million earmarked for a second independence referendum next year.
Figures published last week in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict on a second independence referendum revealed more than £1.5 million of public money will be spent annually on civil servants tasked with working on the independence campaign.
Scottish secretary a lister jack has confirmed what civil servants can and cannot do is being subsequently reassessed by the UK government.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives have written to Permanent Secretaryjohn- paul marks asking him to seek “ministerial direction” over the lawfulness of any continued expenditure on referendum planning.
Mr Jack told the Scottish affairs committee in Westminster that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and senior civil servants,including sue gray, were discussing the issue with Mr Marks.
The UK’S highest court ruled last week that Holyrood does not have the power to legislate for a second independence referendum without Westminster’s
consent. It represented a significant blow to Ms Sturgeon, who had set out plans to hold a second vote on independence on October 19 next year.
Mr jack said :“the permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government stays in close contact with Simon Case, Sue Gray, the proprietary and ethics team of the Cabinet Office on the role of the civil service in scotland and what the parameters are that they can operate under and that has been the case certainly since 2014 when I think there was a review following the referendum.
“Following this judgment, they're working again on what that means for the role of the civil service in Scotland.”
Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross said that was a “crucial point” because it was a “party political issue, not a government issue”.
He said: “I think people in Scotland would be rightly concerned that there continues to be hundreds of thousands of pounds annually spent by civil servants at the direction of the First Minister in the Scottish Government on what is now a party election issue.”
Mr Jack also revealed the UK Government had spent“around £71,800” on legal fees for the Supreme Court case.
The Dumfries and Galloway MP was challenged by the committee chair, SNP MP Pete Wishart, on whether Scotland “could secure an independence referendum and become an independent nation”.
Answering “of course”, Mr Jack explained it would require a “sustained majority”. He said: “There could be another refering en du min scotland, the union is voluntary, and that is evidenced by the fact that there was a referendum in 2014.
"Back then there was consensus between the two governments in Scotland, between pretty much all the political parties and across civic society. Could that sustained majority be achieved again? yes, it could .”
Mr Jack was also critical of plans announced by the First Minister that would seethes np fight the next general election as a “de-facto” referendum.
He said :“you can’ t have a mandate for something you don’t legally have power for. The Scottish Government can no more – although they put it in every manifesto that they want to remove trident from fas lane – they no more have the power to takeaway our nuclear deterrentthan they do to break up the Ukandt hat is very clear and the justices agree.”
Yesterday’s evidence coincided with a business group seekto take legal action against the Scottish Government over its spending of public money on the case for independence. Scottish Business UK, which describes itself as an independent, non-party voice for business leaders who support the Union, accused Ms Sturgeon and s np ministers of“be having like a South American banana republic”.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “In light of majority support within the Scottish parliament for an independence referendum, Ministers remain ready to engage with the UK Government at any point on delivering that referendum. the scottish government will also continue to set out, through the building a new Scotland prospectus series, what could be done with the full powers of independence, reflecting its Programme for Government commitments.”