The new Scotland Bill “reflects the Smith Commission agreement”, lawyers have said, and retailers have urged Holyrood to use its new powers to make Scotland a better place to do business.
The Law Society of Scotland said the devolution Bill published today hands Scotland “important areas of law and policy, including tax and welfare”.
The Scottish Retail Consortium said Holyrood should use its new powers to “support consumer confidence and make it easier and less costly for retailers to invest, grow and hire”.
Alistair Morris, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “We welcome the introduction of the Scotland Bill into the House of Commons.
“It reflects the Smith Commission agreement and provides for further powers across a range of areas for the Scottish Parliament.
“The Bill’s proposals for further devolution of powers gives the Scottish Parliament a range of powers in important areas of law and policy, including tax and welfare.”
On the further devolution of tax powers, Mr Morris said: “It appears that the Smith Commission recommendations have been incorporated, with thresholds and rates of income tax on earnings in Scotland being devolved, along with air passenger duty, the Aggregates Levy and an assignment of VAT.”
On the constitutional clauses in the Bill, Mr Morris said: “The recognition in these clauses that the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government are to become permanent aspects of the UK Constitution is a fulfilment in legal terms of the Smith recommendations.
“These proposed changes put into law the political intention of the parties who contributed to the Smith Commission process.
“As the regulator of Scottish solicitors, we have a particular interest in seeing the devolution of estate agency as well as some remaining aspects of solicitor regulation, such as immigration advice, financial services advice and insolvency practice.
“This would allow for a more flexible approach which, above all, maintains standards and better protects the consumer of legal services.”
David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “Scotland is a good place to do business, but it could be better.
“Business needs to remain fully engaged in the emerging debate about how these new powers ought to be used positively to encourage greater levels of private sector investment and job creation, as it is too important to simply leave to politicians.
“For us the priority is simple, use the devolved responsibilities to support consumer confidence and make it easier and less costly for retailers to invest, grow and hire.”