The Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Graham Allen MP, has reacted with dismay to the news that the leaders of the three main parties at Westminster have declined invitations to appear before the Committee to explain their visions for the future of devolution after the Scottish referendum.
Graham Allen said: "In the weeks and days before the Scottish referendum, the Westminster party leaders engaged directly with the people of Scotland and made significant promises to them about the future of devolution in the UK. I thought it important to invite each of the party leaders to explain to us, as soon as the House returned, their visions for the future of devolution in the UK and the implications and opportunities for devolution to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"While I understand that devolution proposals for Scotland are now under consideration in the all-party SmIth Commission, I am frankly disappointed that none of the party leaders at Westminster have been able to accept the invitation to discuss with my Committee the implications of the public commitments they have made. I shall be renewing my invitation to the leaders to appear before the Committee once the Smith proposals are published.
"The Committee will be in Edinburgh on Thursday to take evidence on the future of the UK devolution settlement after the referendum. On this visit, and in subsequent evidence, we want to hear from the political parties in all parts of the UK about how they see UK-wide devolution developing and what sort of settlement is best for our constitutional future."
In the opening session of evidence for this inquiry the Committee will hear from a representative of the Scottish Labour Party and from the Scottish Centre on Constitutional Change.
Date and time: Thursday 16 October 2014 at 10.15 am
Location: Salisbury Suite 1, Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh
At 10.15 am: Lewis Macdonald MSP, Chief Whip, Scottish Labour Party
At 11.00 am: Professor Michael Keating, Director, and Professor Nicola McEwen, Associate Director, Scottish Centre on Constitutional Change
