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Your Scotland Your Voice: a National Conversation

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Your Scotland Your Voice: a National Conversation For more information on the National Conversation please email [email protected] or visit the National Conversation website at www.anationalconversation.com The National Conversation 2 E South Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ YOUR SCOTLAND YOUR VOICE - A NATIONAL CONVERSATION © Crown Copyright 2009 ISBN 978-0-7559-8114-4 RR Donnelley B61368 11/09 This document is also available on the Scottish Government website: www.scotland.gov.uk www.anationalconversation.com YOUR SCOTLAND YOUR VOICE A NATIONAL CONVERSATION I ASK EVERY SCOT TO PAUSE AND REFLECT, NOT JUST ON WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY WE ARE, BUT ON THE KIND OF COUNTRY WE COULD BE, THE KIND OF COUNTRY WE SHOULD BE. I AM COMMITTED TO A NEW CHAPTER IN SCOTTISH POLITICS, ONE IN WHICH THE STORY AND THE SCRIPT IS WRITTEN BY THE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST BY THE POLITICIANS. ALEX SALMOND, FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND, 14 AUGUST 2007 i A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE © Crown copyright 2009 ISBN 978-0-7559-8114-4 The Scottish Government St Andrew’s House Edinburgh EH1 3DG Produced for the Scottish Government by RR Donnelley B61368 11/09 Published by the Scottish Government, November 2009 For more information on the National Conversation please email [email protected] or visit the National Conversation website at www.anationalconversation.com The text pages of this document are printed on recycled paper and are 100% recyclable ii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country, “Thus far shalt thou go and no further”. Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891) iii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE Scotland has a long and proud record of innovation and excellence in health and healthcare, with internationally recognised medical schools alongside world-renowned “clinical and scientific research. Our National Health Service is one of which we can similarly be proud. By wisely using already wide ranging devolved responsibilities for health and wellbeing on behalf of the people of Scotland we have changed the landscape of and potential for improving health and health inequalities. Huge strides have been made in reducing waiting times and our strategies to improve coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer services, among others, have brought with them significant improvements for patients. What has been done is testament to what can be achieved and I am certain that with full powers and responsibilities in an independent nation we can and will achieve much more.” Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing iv A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE v A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE For far too long we have been at the mercy of financial and economic decisions taken outside Scotland. Under the current framework, key economic policy levers, “including responsibility for supporting the economy during downturns and the operation of the tax system, are withheld from the Scottish Government. This cannot be in the best interests of the Scottish economy; not now and not for the long- term. Now is the time for change. In order for Scotland to achieve its full potential we must have greater responsibility for our own economy.” Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth vi A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE vii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE The current constitutional settlement places limits on Scotland’s ability to fully capitalise on the economic benefits our education and skills system offers us. In particular our employment and benefits system must “be structured to help as many people as possible from all parts of Scotland into sustainable employment. This can be best achieved by placing the needs and expectations of the people of Scotland at the heart of its design and operation.” Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning viii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE ix A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE x A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE Scotland’s laws and justice system are unique. They have been established for centuries and been maintained through 300 years of an incorporating union. Under devolution“ with justice mainly devolved they continue to serve Scotland in a unique way appropriate to our country and its people. We have confidence in the people of Scotland and they can be proud of Scotland’s achievements. We want the Scottish Government to be able to go further in the interests of the Scottish people. We want to be able to tackle all aspects of crime and its” causes. Cabinet Secretary for Justice xi A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE Using our existing but limited powers, the Scottish Government has delivered much progress for our rural communities but there are numerous examples where “the influence of an independent country would have brought much greater benefits. When I attend European negotiations and witness the success of other similar sized nations, I appreciate more than ever how having our own voice in Europe would ensure the distinctive needs of our farmers, fishermen and our environment would be recognised.” Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment xii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE xiii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE We have legislated to remove the confusion of combined polls and developed proposals to clarify the conduct of Scottish elections. “Responsibility is currently split between Holyrood and Westminster. Giving Holyrood the responsibility for all elections in Scotland would bring accountability closer to the voter and restore confidence in the democratic process. We would lower the voting age to 16 and introduce STV for all elections so extending participation and democracy in Scotland.” Minister for Parliamentary Business xiv A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE xv A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE xvi A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE The National Conversation has demonstrated that there is a tremendous appetite for debate about Scotland’s constitutional future. Across the country, people have considered and discussed a “range of constitutional choices, from expanded devolution to independence. There are a wide variety of options to reform our constitution, but most people agree that the status quo is not delivering for Scotland. As Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, I am immensely proud of Scotland’s achievements since devolution, but I believe that independence presents the best opportunity for Scotland to flourish. It would enable Scotland to thrive internationally and culturally; Scotland would conduct itself on the world stage as an equal with other sovereign states. It would also give Scotland responsibility for all the policy tools required to promote sustainable economic growth. ” Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution xvii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE CONTENTS FOREWORD 1 1. THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON SCOTLAND’S FUTURE 3 Introduction 3 Current constitutional arrangements 3 Options for the future 4 The National Conversation 5 2. THE OPTIONS FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE 15 Introduction 15 Current position 16 Commission on Scottish Devolution 16 Full devolution 17 Independence 17 3. A WEALTHIER SCOTLAND 21 Overview 21 Economic and fiscal policy 23 Business and enterprise 39 Migration 50 Broadcasting 53 Conclusion 57 4. A FAIRER SCOTLAND 59 Overview 59 Welfare and benefits 60 Housing and regeneration 64 Equal opportunities 68 Conclusion 69 5. A GREENER SCOTLAND 71 Overview 71 Environment, agriculture and fisheries 72 Transport 82 Energy 85 Conclusion 89 xviii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE 6. A HEALTHIER AND SMARTER SCOTLAND 91 Overview 91 Health 91 Education and children 96 Conclusion 97 7. A SAFER SCOTLAND 99 Overview 99 Criminal and civil justice 100 Judiciary and the Courts 102 Human rights and responsibilities 104 Conclusion 105 8. A STRONGER SCOTLAND 107 Overview 107 Scotland in the world today 108 Scotland’s future role 108 Conclusion 122 9. A MODERN SCOTLAND 125 Overview 125 Constitution and government 126 Elections 131 Conclusion 133 10. CHOOSING SCOTLAND’S FUTURE 135 Introduction 135 Involving the people 135 A national referendum 136 The next step 139 ANNEX A NATIONAL CONVERSATION EVENTS 140 ANNEX B ORGANISATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION 144 xix A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE xx A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE FOREWORD The Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP, First Minister of Scotland Over the last two years more than 15,000 people have taken part in the National Conversation on the future of Scotland: at public meetings, in print and online. There have been other significant contributions: from experts, academics, journalists and think tanks on a range of subjects such as fiscal autonomy, energy and the environment, and Scotland in the world. Two things are clear. First, that there is a demand in Scotland to consider and debate our national future. Second, that the current arrangements do not meet the ambitions of our nation. Ten years on from devolution, almost all agree that it is time to expand the responsibilities of our Parliament. Ten years ago Donald Dewar said the Scottish Parliament was “a new voice in the land, a voice to shape Scotland, a voice above all for the future”. He was right. But our Parliament is incomplete, unfinished. Its voice is muted or silent in many areas vital to our nation. I believe that Scotland cannot fully flourish until it takes responsibility for itself: for its economy, taxes, and spending; for its rich and its poor; for its natural resources and its waste; for its old and its young; for its roads and its seas; for its place in the world, for peace and war, for ties of friendship and common interest with the other nations of the earth.
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