Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral evidence by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the Scottish Affairs Committee on 3 February 2016, Question 173, what steps he is taking to ensure that proposals for the revised fiscal framework with Scotland will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Greg Hands

I welcome the scrutiny which the Fiscal Framework has received so far. While the exact nature of further framework scrutiny will depend on its final content and format, it is my current intention to deposit the final document detailing the agreement in the House libraries as soon as possible once an agreement is reached, make a statement to the House as soon as possible after an agreement is reached, and to set out what it means for the UK and for Scotland and to make annual reports to Parliament on the operation of the Framework.

Elements of the Fiscal Framework may require legislative change. Where this is the case the appropriate legislative procedure will be followed and the Government hopes these changes will receive thorough scrutiny in Parliament.

Once the Fiscal Framework is agreed, the Government would welcome further scrutiny from Parliamentary Committees in both Houses.