Scottish Parliament to vote on UK government’s Article 50 Bill

The news comes as the UK government this week published a white paper on Brexit entitled The United Kingdom’s Exit from and New Partnership with the European Union.

The Scottish government said that given the fundamental change to the constitutional arrangements involved by triggering formal withdrawal from the European Union, and the direct effects on the devolved responsibilities, the Scottish Parliament should be invited to give its view before the bill is passed, and that the UK government should respect the views of the Parliament.

Following discussion with the Scottish Parliament and consideration of the timetable at Westminster – and to ensure that the Scottish Parliament’s views are heard prior to the end of the committee stage in the House of Commons – the Scottish government has decided not to lodge a formal Legislative Consent Memorandum, but to lodge a motion determining the Parliament’s view.

Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell said: “The Prime Minister has made numerous statements and commitments to Scotland that there would be an agreed UK-wide approach to Brexit. And the UK government has now published a white paper which claims ‘The UK government acts in the interests of the whole UK’.

“Those claims will only be meaningful if the voice of Scotland’s Parliament is respected. Triggering Article 50 will have profound impacts on devolved responsibilities and on the powers of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish government. It is therefore right that the Scottish Parliament expresses its view.

“When the motion is debated by MSPs next week it will be a chance for our national Parliament to send a powerful signal on behalf of the people we are elected to serve. And I believe that Parliament will send a resounding message that Scotland’s future is in Europe.”

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, said this week that the white paper “sets out that we will take control of our own laws, so that they are made in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and ensure that we can control the number of people coming to the UK from the European Union.”