Scotland moves towards own parliament

Scotland is moving closer to having its own parliament with the publication by the British government of a draft law on Scottish devolution.

Under the proposals, Scotland will have its own first minister -- in effect, a Scottish premier -- and a parliament of one-hundred-and-twenty-nine elected members in the year 2000.

The proposals, which are to be debated by the British parliament, follow a referendum earlier this year, in which two out of three of those in Scotland who voted favoured having a separate parliament with some taxation powers.

Separate devolution measures are being planned for Wales.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service