MPs have backed moves to give Scotland more powers over areas such as income tax and abortion although the SNP dismissed the parliamentary proceedings as a “total travesty and a farce”.
The Scotland Bill passed its third reading – its final Commons stage – unopposed after five hours of debate and votes at report stage.
It will devolve a series of powers to the Scottish Parliament, including control over abortion law, the ability to set bands and rates of income tax and the ability to top up welfare payments and create new benefits, among others.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said Scottish viewers will be unhappy at how the debate proceeded and insisted another day should have been allocated to discuss the more than 200 proposed amendments to the Bill.
The lack of time for debate and the paucity of MPs on Tory and Labour benches would lead those watching to see it “a total travesty and a farce”, he said after what were at times fractious proceedings.
During third reading, he added: “They would have noted that for the first half of proceedings there were more Members of Parliament from the Scottish National Party in the chamber than all other parties combined.
“They will have noticed that on this day where less than six hours was allocated for debate, notwithstanding the fact that an offer was made by an SNP for a second full day at report stage.
“The Government tabled 200 clauses and amendments, we had an opportunity for only seven divisions (votes).
“On an issue that was supposed to be defining for Scotland’s constitutional future that is no way to legislate and the idea that legislating in the way that we have just had is worthy of the mother of all parliaments, as some people choose to call it, is way out of place.”
Mr Robertson also argued the Bill does not fully implement the proposals of the Smith Commission, which was set up after the Scottish independence referendum to draw up proposals to put in law “the vow” put forward by the UK’s main parties to devolve extensive power.
He said: “The sole purpose of the Scotland Bill has been to implement the Smith Commission in full. We welcome the Government’s late admission that it had failed to do that but this Bill still falls far short.
“We have seen with this debate a Westminster failure to support the devolution of powers over tax credits – industrial relations and workers’ rights powers and on the sovereignty of the people of Scotland.
“People should look and learn because if this is the way to bring forward legislation – we don’t need it.
“The Scottish Parliament is a 21st century parliament and if ever there was a case put for the Scottish Parliament being able to exercise all issues that matter to the people of Scotland – this was it.”
But Scottish Secretary David Mundell said there could be “no reasonable doubt” that the Government had delivered on the agreement and ‘the vow’ and that now the Scottish Government and Parliament will be more responsible and accountable.
He said: “There can be no reasonable doubt that the Bill delivers the Smith Agreement in full and that the debate now moves forward from constitutional arguments to the important decisions that will affect the lives of people in Scotland.
“Will the Scottish Government create new benefits or top up existing ones? What kind of schemes to address fuel poverty best suit the particular circumstances of Scotland?
“Will local communities get greater say over management of assets like the Crown Estate? And how can Scotland’s public sector boards show the way forward for gender equality?
“Each of these decision will now form a direct part of Scotland’s vigorous public debate with each of them made in Scotland for the first time.
“The Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government will be more responsible and more accountable to the people of Scotland.
“That is what this Bill means for Scotland – the vow delivered, a powerhouse Parliament within a strong United Kingdom.”
Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray derided SNP MPs as a “braying mob” who remained silent for Mr Mundell’s speech but shouted during his Opposition frontbench speech.
Mr Murray stressed that Labour supported the Bill, adding: “With the amendments that have been accepted this evening we can say that the vow has been delivered in full and it delivers on the powers that were promised and agreed by all parties,including the Scottish National Party in the Smith Commission.”
The Bill will now be considered by peers in the House of Lords.