§ 4. Mr. Dalyellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he still expects that the Government will devise tax-raising powers for a Scottish Assembly; and which economists and tax inventors have been consulted.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettAs we made clear in the White Paper, we are prepared to consider sympathetically any proposals other than in relation to offshore oil put to us by the devolved Administration. It would not be right for me to prejudge the results of any such discussions.
§ Mr. DalyellMay I go on my kneepads to the Chief Secretary and ask him how it is that able Ministers, clever civil servants and tax inventors as ingenious as Lord Kaldor can spend four long years reflecting on some form of an acceptable taxation system for a subordinate Parliament in part—though only in part—of the United Kingdom and come up with nothing?
§ Mr. BarnettMy hon. Friend never has to go on his knees to me. I am happy to see him on his feet or in a seated position. Although he is absolutely right that there are many bright people around—particularly in the Treasury—who have thought about these and many other matters and will continue to do so, we do not pretend that it will not be fruitful also to have discussions with the new devolved Assembly. I hope that those discussions will be very useful.
§ Mr. RifkindWill the Chief Secretary take comfort from the fact that few Scottish Members of Parliament have received representations from their constituents for the Assembly to have power to impose additional taxes upon them?
§ Mr. BarnettI note that the hon. Gentleman is able to speak for all Scottish Members of Parliament, but I am not sure whether I should take that as gospel.