MICHAEL Gove has been asked to explain why Holyrood appears not to be currently in line for new powers over immigration despite making promises to do so during the EU referendum campaign.
Joan McAlpine, convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Europe Committee, put the question in a letter to the UK’s new environment and rural affairs secretary ahead of his visit to the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh yesterday.
McAlpine also pressed him that in the absence of any commitments to strengthen the Scottish Parliament, the UK Government would use Brexit to undermine its remit on fishing and agriculture.
“Michael Gove claimed, as a leading Leave campaigner, that Brexit would see a whole raft of new powers coming to Scotland,” she said.
“The Tories want to use Brexit as cover for a power grab to strip powers away from Holyrood instead, including over issues like farming and fishing, which have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament since day one. That would be totally unacceptable, and will be opposed by the SNP at every turn.”
She added: “Mr Gove should use his visit to Scotland to give answers on the promises he made to Scotland a year ago, and explain what has happened to those pledges, including his suggestion that Brexit would see Scotland gain new powers over immigration. And if he can’t provide any answers he should apologise for trying to mislead people.
“Having now returned to government, Mr Gove has the perfect opportunity to honour his pledges on new powers for Scotland. Anything less would amount to yet another Tory sell-out.”
A spokeswoman for Defra said: “We are looking to increase the power that all the devolved assemblies have over all areas within their competence.”
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