How would these proposals help Scotland weather another economic storm?
Jim replies: The RBS was the biggest bank in the world and it was saved by taxpayers in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Calman Commission isn’t a plan to prevent global recession but it is a way of giving more power to the Scottish Parliament and having a much more accountable Parliament in Edinburgh. Jack Thompson: The Government plans on reducing expenditure to Scotland by the same amount as the 10 pence on the pound tax plans raise or lower. Does that not mean that the tax raising powers are in fact worthless as ANY Scottish Government as they can only reduce the income in garners as opposed to raising more than the rest of the UK? Jim replies: Jack, the Chancellor will make his announcements tomorrow in the Pre-budget Report but the new powers are about making the Parliament more accountable. At the moment the Scottish Parliament simply spends the money that the UK Government gives to it. In future it will have to decide on the size of its own budget. And because
