McLetchie welcomes Presiding Officer’s Statement

The Presiding Officer has issued a response to the letter of complaint by two witnesses to the Scotland Bill Committee.

David McLetchie MSP, Scottish Conservative Chief Whip and member of the committee said:

"I welcome the statement from the Presiding Officer and his confirmation that it is the role of Holyrood Committees to test all available evidence in order to achieve robust conclusions.

"I also note the submission published today from Lars Feld to the Scotland Bill Committee, in which he makes it clear that there is no significant link between fiscal decentralisation and growth. Accordingly, his work should not have been relied upon by Professors Hughes Hallett and Scott. This was exposed by the Bill Committee in last week's evidence session.

"It is now clear why the two academics are upset. Their own assertions have been shown to be questionable, but more importantly their work has subsequently been misquoted and doctored by Alex Salmond and the SNP in conference speeches and submissions to the UK Treasury and to the Scottish Parliament.

"Alex Salmond has spent the last few years arguing for fiscal independence and has had the very foundations of that case undermined."

Back to all posts