Federal options
May I comment on Andy
Maciver’s article, “Forget Smith and head for a federal future” (Perspective, 13 December).
He states that “the Smith Commission’s proposals will see Holyrood raising less than 40 per cent of what it spends”. He goes on to imply that this does not look like Home Rule and suggests it more like Calman 2 and that it is not federalism.
The amount of tax raised by other federal governments around the world is no more than 40 per cent and I would suggest there is a reason why this has evolved in these federal states.
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Hide AdThere are many different ways that federal states have developed and Andy Maciver has not made it clear why the Smith Commission proposals do not constitute a route to a federal system as it certainly complies in regard to tax raising powers.
C Scott
Mortonhall Road