Lords question Alistair Carmichael and Lord Wallace of Tankerness

• Parliament TV: Scottish independence: constitutional implications for the rest of the UK
• Inquiry: Scottish independence: constitutional implications for the rest of the UK
• Select Committee on the Constitution

Witnesses

At 10.30am, Wednesday 12 March 2014, Committee room 1, Palace of Westminster:

• Rt Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP, Secretary of State for Scotland
• Rt Hon. Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC, Advocate General for Scotland

Likely questions

The Committee will question the witnesses on a range of issues for its inquiry into the constitutional implications of Scottish independence for the rest of the UK. Areas likely to be covered include:

• What plans the Government are making for the constitutional implications of a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum?
• Do the UK Government view the timetable for independence in the event of a ‘yes’ vote (independence by 24 March 2016) as binding?  What would happen if the negotiating teams could not reach an agreement?
• Would the UK negotiating team contain persons other than Government Ministers?
• Would Scottish MPs have to leave the House of Commons on independence day? How would they be removed?
• What legislation would be required in Westminster to allow negotiations to begin? What would be required to ratify the outcome of the negotiations?
• What legal principles should apply to negotiations on the division of assets and liabilities (such as the national debt) that are currently UK wide?
• Does the UK Government accept that there could be some ‘shared services’ following Scottish independence?

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Select Committees