MSP pushing for new Holyrood powers

SUBSTANTIAL new powers could be transferred to Holyrood as part of a plan dubbed "devolution max" which has attracted cross-party support, it emerged yesterday.

The call for a "constitutional convention" came from Alex Neil, the veteran SNP MSP.

The new SNP-led Executive is to publish proposals for a bill on independence in the next couple of weeks.

However, it is unlikely to be approved by the Scottish Parliament and in the meantime the Nationalists want to set up a cross-party group to look at the issue of gaining more powers.

Mr Neil said Alex Fergusson, Holyrood's Presiding Officer, should be invited to convene the equivalent of a Westminster-style "Speaker's conference".

It would comprise representatives from across the political divide as well as wider civic Scotland, including churches and the business community, to decide on the additional powers that the parliament should be "demanding" from Westminster.

"The idea is that if we can get cross-party support for that, then the Scottish Parliament as a parliament petitions Westminster for those powers," Mr Neil said.

He added that it was similar to the situation in Wales, where there has been agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru on additional powers for the Welsh Assembly.

Mr Neil added: "I'm suggesting that we should follow suit in Scotland and within a year to 18 months at the most, we should try to have agreement by the parliament based on the recommendations of a Presiding Officer's conference."

Household and business taxes, North Sea oil revenues, energy and marine powers are among those which could be included, although Westminster would have the power to refuse.

The idea has met with a warm reception from other parties, with the Liberal Democrats in particular backing more powers for Holyrood.

Mr Neil, who represents Central Scotland, admitted that parliamentary arithmetic was against the Nationalists winning an independence referendum.

But he said: "I'm anxious to ensure that we don't go through the next four years without either a referendum or substantial additional powers."

Meanwhile, Alex Salmond, the First Minister, claimed that Simon Hughes, the UK president of the Lib Dems, told him last week that he supports the concept of a referendum on the constitution.

In an article in a Sunday newspaper, Mr Salmond said this is "in stark contrast to their oh-so-timid leadership in Scotland".