Draft Scotland Act 2016 (Onshore Petroleum) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2017

Alan Brown Excerpts

Tuesday 28th November 2017 General Committees

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Moon. I will be mercifully brief. The Minister mentioned the Christmas spirit in her opening remarks and I think that it has broken out, as people seem to be in the holiday mood when making their contributions.

We welcome the statutory instrument, although its introduction has taken a bit longer than we thought it would. However, I appreciate that the Minister said it was tied in with the progress of the Wales Bill. Clearly, it relates to the Smith commission and that is good. It does not actually marry up with the spirit of Gordon Brown’s vow, because it does not take us as close to federalism as can possibly be within the United Kingdom; that is quite clear. Obviously, tax receipts remain reserved anyway, although perhaps tax receipts are a moot point because, as was stated by the shadow Minister, the current intention is that there will be no fracking in Scotland while the SNP is in Parliament. It is only right that the Scottish Parliament makes that decision, because although it is an SNP Government, obviously Parliament should make the decision. It is right that the Scottish Parliament has these powers and I simply welcome them coming to Scotland.