EDINBURGH, January 22 (Sputnik) – Proposals published by the UK Government represent a "significant watering down" of recommendations made by the Smith Commission established to detail increased independent powers for Scotland, First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, said in a statement issued to Sputnik on Thursday.
"In these crucial areas the clauses set out today [Thursday] appear to be a significant watering down of what was promised by the Smith Commission and need an urgent rethink by the UK Government," Sturgeon said.
According to the Scottish leader, the paper's recommendations force Edinburgh to work within a "framework of austerity," imposed by the UK Government.
"It also suggests that Scotland's capital grant could be replaced by borrowing powers and not augmented by them as was clearly the intention of the Smith proposals," Sturgeon added.
UK Government Secretary of State for Scotland, Alistair Carmichael, however, praised the draft bill, saying that it has delivered more autonomy for Scotland within the United Kingdom.
"We made a vow to deliver extensive new powers and today's publication of Draft Clauses, based on the cross-party Smith Commission, has been delivered," Carmichael said in a statement.
The Smith Commission was set up by the UK Government in the wake of the failed September 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The commission's objective was to identify what additional powers could be transferred from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament, at the same time ensuring Scotland remained part of the United Kingdom.
55 percent voted in favor of Scotland remaining within the United Kingdom.
