David Cameron has said he does not rule out making further changes to new powers that are planned for Scotland if “sensible suggestions” are made.
The Prime Minister said there would be a fresh look at plans to give Holyrood powers over welfare, to make sure that these reflect the agreement reached by the cross-party Smith Commission.
He spoke out after meeting face-to-face with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for the first time since last week’s general election, which saw the Conservatives win a unexpected majority across the UK.
But they only have one MP north of the border while the SNP swept the board, claiming 56 of the 59 constituencies up for grabs north of the border.
Holyrood’s Devolution Committee said that the current plans to transfer more power north failed to meet both “the spirit or the substance” of the Smith Agreement
Mr Cameron said his government would “make sure it really is Smith” adding: “We’re going to look again at welfare and make sure the clauses reflect what that agreement was.”
He added: “The First Minister wants to send some proposals for me to look at and I’m happy to examine proposals, there’s going to be a debate, of course there will be a debate.
“I don’t rule out making other changes if sensible suggestions are made.”
Ms Sturgeon said the meeting was “constructive and businesslike”.
“Two things of significance were agreed at the meeting,” she told Sky News.”Firstly, there was a commitment from the Prime Minister that the legislation that they will shortly introduce to the Westminster parliament to implement the proposals of the Smith Commission will implement those proposals in full.
“We had a report of a Scottish Parliament committee yesterday which said that where they have got to thus far doesn’t fully implement the Smith Commission proposals. So, there is a commitment to do that, and we will make sure that happens.
“Secondly, I have said we will put forward proposals for devolution further than the Smith Commission proposals.The Prime Minister has said they would consider those proposals.
“I am not going to put words in his mouth and say he has agreed any specific proposals, but there is an agreement to look at that and there will be a meeting with Deputy First Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland to take that discussion forward.
“I want Scotland to have full fiscal autonomy, David Cameron doesn’t, but what we said in our manifesto was that there were priority powers over and above the Smith Commission that we wanted to see devolved.
“So, what we are talking about are business taxes and employment legislation, the minimum wage and more powers over welfare.”
Ms Sturgeon said she still advocates full fiscal autonomy despite the oil price crash which would leave Scotland with a large deficit.
“I recognise that even if there was an agreement to move to full fiscal autonomy, which there is not, that would take time to do,” she said.”As a priority, I want to get our hands on the levers that really matter as quickly as possible.”
While Mr Cameron appears open to considering further powers for Scotland, he said he did not believe a second independence referendum was “remotely on the cards”.
He spoke out after a senior source within the SNP was reported to have said it would be prepared to push ahead with plans for such a vote without the permission of the Prime Minister if necessary.
But the Conservative leader said: “I don’t think this is remotely on the cards, I tend to take at face value what Alex Salmond says on the record, rather than off the record.
“On the record, he said that this was a once-in-a-generation, potentially a once-in-a-lifetime, opportunity and I’m sticking with that.”