Following a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC), chaired for the first time in Downing Street by David Cameron, Michael Moore, the Scottish Secretary, announced he would appear before a committee of conveners at the Scottish Parliament next Thursday --before the June 22 Budget, not after, as some had expected.
As reported in The Herald last week, the Scotland Office also confirmed the Prime Minister would address all MSPs later this year while Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is due to appear before Holyrood’s Finance Committee at some point.
Describing his visit as historic, Moore said it was surprising none of his predecessors had appeared at Holyrood.
“Scotland has two governments and the closer they work together for our interest, the better,” he declared, adding: “This UK Government has made clear, from the very top and from the very outset, we want to engage constructively with the Scottish Parliament.”
Following the hour-long JMC, the First Minister referred to how the respect agenda had to demonstrate progress not just in word but deed, noting intriguingly: “There will be further examples of that in the not too distant future.”
This appeared to be a reference to the Scottish Government securing the £182m fossil fuel levy, about which Salmond said: “We are now extremely confident we are on the cusp of an agreement on the fossil fuel levy.” He stressed he would be extremely disappointed if Holyrood did not get the money given the “substantive progress” made.
Salmond explained he was least hopeful about the Treasury agreeing to his request to bring forward Budget money from next year to this to help boost jobs.
On flexibility on borrowing, he said talks would take place to discuss this but noted how so far there was “no blank refusal”.
Finally, on Olympic funding linked to the Barnett formula of around £190m, Salmond said this would go to the committee’s dispute procedure.
The First Minister also said progress had been made on allowing more involvement by the devolved administrations at European Council meetings.
He said their officials would be readmitted into talks before European councils, which determine the UK position, and, where appropriate, devolved ministers would represent the UK. However, any Scottish minister, for example representing the UK on fisheries, would have to take the UK Government line.
The JMC was dominated by the budget deficit and the severity of public spending cuts.
Salmond said there was no agreement on the nature and timing of the cuts but the Treasury agreed to consult with the devolved administrations ahead of the autumn spending review, which will set out the departmental cuts up to 2015.
