Tories to launch devolution plans

The Scottish Conservatives will advocate "real accountability" for the Scottish Parliament if the country rejects independence, according to their leader.

Ruth Davidson called current arrangements a "pocket-money parliament" and said they must end.

The party is preparing to launch its plans for further devolution if Scotland votes "No" in the referendum. 

The SNP said the Tories "cannot be trusted to deliver anything".

Last year, Ms Davidson set up a commission, chaired by Lord Strathclyde, to look at the issue of further powers for the Scottish Parliament.

All three pro-Union parties have now outlined what further powers for the Scottish Parliament they would support if the country votes "No" in September, although there will be no joint approach.

The referendum takes place on 18 September, with voters answering the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Writing in Scotland on Sunday, Ms Davidson said the party favoured the transfer of all income tax raising powers to Holyrood, giving the Scottish Parliament responsibility for 40% of the money it spends.

This would be off-set by a cut in the block grant currently given to Scotland by Westminster.

Holyrood is due to get some limited powers over income tax in 2016 as a result of the Scotland Act.

'Giant spending machine'

"Every year billions of pounds of taxpayers' money is allocated by MSPs to spend in Scotland," said Ms Davidson.

"Yet MSPs are responsible for raising only a fraction of that money. Holyrood is, in effect, a giant spending machine."

She added: "My belief is that this system must end. Central to our plans is a commitment to give Holyrood more responsibility.

"We cannot continue with a pocket-money parliament which gets its allowance from Westminster and then spends it as it pleases. We must move to a new system that brings real accountability to Scotland's politics. 

"In short, the buck must end at Holyrood."

Ms Davidson said Prime Minister David Cameron agreed with the proposals.

However, SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing said the Tories "cannot be trusted to deliver anything".

She added: "The only way to get the powers Scotland needs to build a fairer society and stronger economy is to vote Yes in September. There isn't a 'more devolved powers' option on the ballot paper - the Tories point-blank refused to include one - which is why Scotland needs to vote 'Yes' to move forward. 

"In 1979, the Tories said vote 'No' for better devolution - and all we got was Margaret Thatcher and 18 years of Tory governments that Scotland rejected."

Labour published its plan in March, which included devolution of three quarters of the 20p tax rate and control over housing benefit and more powers for Scotland's islands.

The Liberal Democrats have proposed that Holyrood should raise 50% of the money it spends and have control over income, capital gains and inheritance tax.