AN SNP MP is calling for the UK Government to resurrect the Scottish Grand Committee to ensure the Tories are put under proper scrutiny.
The group is not officially a select committee of the House of Commons, but is a meeting of all Scottish MPs, usually held in Scotland to discuss matters specifically concerning the nation.
There are now calls for the first meeting of the committee for more than 15 years amid fears of a post-Brexit power grab.
The proposal, from Douglas Chapman, is designed to hold the Tory Government to account on solely Scottish affairs and to consider the UK’s relationship with Scotland.
The SNP MP proposed the idea in the Commons to Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg this week. The Tory minister said that he would be willing to discuss the issue.
READ MORE: SNP to vote against ‘power grab’ post-Brexit Agriculture Bill
Chapman commented: “As the UK continues on the damaging path of a broken Brexit Britain, Scottish fishing, agriculture and business do not know what the future might hold.
“We are also seeing the UK Government tearing up the devolution settlement already as only this week were Scottish MPs excluded from voting on an NHS Bill which would have affected funding for Scotland.
“This disrespect for Scotland and the Scottish Parliament will only continue as laws are repatriated from the EU to the UK that should be under the competence of the Scottish Government but are being held under lock and key by the Prime Minister.”
Scottish MPs have not met in a Grand Committee since 2003 following the emergence of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.
Chapman said he was “encouraged” by Rees-Mogg’s response and would continue to press the issue with a letter to the House leader.
The SNP MP added: “The UK Government also has a policy to level-up the economies outside of London and the south east and support a Northern Powerhouse, all of which have huge ramifications for Scotland.
“At times like these we need to scrutinise every move and having every Scottish MP put proposals under the microscope will hold the government to account.
“We also need to know for sure that, if this Union is to last much longer, then what do terms like ‘Lead don’t Leave’ and ‘Union of Equals’ actually mean in practice?”
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