Lords debate constitutional implications of Scottish independence
24 June 2014
Members of the House of Lords including a former first minister of Scotland, two former Scottish Secretaries, several former Scottish MPs and MSPs and a former NATO Secretary General, will debate the constitutional future of Scotland, with reference to the upcoming referendum, in the Lords on Tuesday 24 June.
- Watch live on Parliament TV (after 3pm)
- Report: Scottish independence: constitutional implications of the referendum (HTML)
- Report: Scottish independence: constitutional implications of the referendum (PDF)
- Evidence volume: Scottish independence: constitutional implications of the referendum (PDF)
- Inquiry: Scottish independence: constitutional implications of the referendum
- Constitution Committee
Debate
The debate was requested by Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat), former deputy first minister of Scotland, who will also contribute on behalf of the government.
The debate will also cover the recent report from the Lords Constitution Committee on the constitutional implications of the Scottish referendum. This debate was requested by Lord Lang of Monkton (Conservative), chair of the Constitution Committee and former Scottish Secretary.
Other members due to speak include:
- Lord Hope of Craighead, former Lord Justice General and Deputy President of the Supreme Court;
- Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale, former First Minister of Scotland;
- Lord Richard and Lord Strathclyde, former Leaders of the House of Lords;
- Lord Steel of Aikwood, first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament; and
- Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, former Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session.
Report conclusions
In May the committee published its report on the constitutional implications of a “yes” vote in the Scottish independence referendum. The committee recommended that, while MPs from Scottish constituencies should keep their seats at Westminster between the vote and full independence, they should take no part in independence negotiations nor scrutiny of those negotiations, as their first loyalty would lie with their Scottish constituents.
The committee also said there was no constitutional requirement for the UK Government to stick to the Scottish Government’s timetable for full independence by March 2016 in the event of a “yes” vote, and they should not do so unless it is in the interests of the rest of the UK.
Further information
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