Scotland Bill

Debate between Lord Pearson of Rannoch and Lord Lyell

Wednesday 28th March 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Lyell]

My Lords, perhaps my noble friend can assist me. I wonder whether the proposals in the amendment owe something to Monty Python. Proposed new subsection (7)(b) refers to,

“the potential the new tax might create for tax avoidance across the UK”.

My jaw dropped when I read that. I will be fascinated to hear what my noble friend says when he directs his attention to it.

[Lord Pearson of Rannoch]

My Lords, I, too, take the amendment as a small step in the right direction. I merely ask the noble Lord, Lord Browne of Ladyton, whether he agrees that if the Government do not accept the amendment, it will give great force to the previous amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth. Of course, if the Government do accept the amendment, it will be a small step in the right direction. However, it does not abrogate the point that I and—much more huffily—the noble Lord, Lord Forsyth, attempted to make when we debated the previous amendment, which remains the best one. I do not know whether the noble Lord, Lord Browne, is in a position to answer that before the Minister replies.