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Thursday, December 18, 1997 Published at 15:15 GMT



UK: Politics

Don't block Scottish parliament, Dewar tells Lords
image: [ Donald Dewar - stern warning to House of Lords ]
Donald Dewar - stern warning to House of Lords

The Bill setting up the Scottish parliament has been unveiled in Glasgow with a warning to the House of Lords not to disrupt its progress onto the statute books.


The BBC's Constitution Correspondent Joshua Rozenburg reports (0' 52")
"Difficulties in the upper house will not impress the people of Scotland," said the Scottish Secretary, Donald Dewar.

The Scotland Bill is one of the biggest pieces of legislation in 20 years and sets out in 40,000 words how the parliament will be run.

It defines which powers will be retained by Westminster, which will be devolved to Scotland and how the new parliament will make legislation on its own.

Government sources stress the Bill faithfully reflects devolution plans outlined in the White Paper called Scotland's Parliament, published in July.

Mr Dewar said the Bill had clear backing from Scots, who overwhelmingly voted in favour of devolution in a referendum in September.

"This should make it difficult for peers to argue against the Bill in principle," he added.

"This Bill will give Scotland the power to boost its self-confidence - economically, culturally and politically."


Michael Ancram says the Conservatives will help make devolution "work" (3' 10")
The Conservative Party, which campaigned for a no vote at the referendum, now accepts that a majority of Scots want devolution.

But the party's constitutional affairs spokesman, Michael Ancram, said: "That does not mean that we have to accept the Bill as it stands.

"There are areas of major concern such as the effect on the constitution of the UK as a whole."

The Bill will get its second reading during the first two days of Parliament's return in the new year.


 





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