SNP AMENDMENTS TO THE FINANCE BILL

Early day motion 1227, tabled 15 May 2003 by Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party). Signed by 5 members.

That this House notes that on this year's Finance Bill the Government's guillotine motion on debate ensured that only limited time was available for the SNP's amendment on ending tax discrimination against whisky and that no time was available to consider the SNP's amendment on providing assistance for exploration and appraisal drilling in the North Sea; expresses disappointment that only one Scottish Labour backbencher briefly attended the whisky debate and that the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Chancellor of the Exchequer made no time to attend despite the crucial nature of these industries to Scotland and the many billions of pounds they send to the Treasury; notes that despite the cross-party consensus of the All-Party Whisky Group that there should be a cut in duty, 39 Scottish Labour honourable Members voted against the amendment which would have provided such a modest cut, and none voted for it; and believes that this incident provides a further example of why these vital matters should be determined by the Scottish Parliament.

Signatures by party: Scottish National Party 5.