SNP Seeks Backing On Welfare Plans

By Katrine Bussey, Political Editor, Press Association Scotland Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs are being urged to vote with the SNP in key votes over plans to transfer some control over welfare to Holyrood.

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson called on anti-Tory parties to come together'' and back the amendments nationalists have put forward to the Scotland Bill.

These would remove any veto Westminster may have over new welfare powers that are being devolved to

Scotland, as well as giving Holyrood contol over working age benefits, benefits relating to children, and employment support programmes,

The SNP also wants control over National Insurance contributions, employment law and equal opportunities to be given to MSPs.

With the Scotland Bill due to be debated on Monday and Tuesday, Mr Robertson said the votes would show whether Labour supported Scottish control or continued Westminster control in these key areas.

The Moray MP said: At a time of savage cuts to the welfare state by the Tories - causing real hurt to hard working families and vulnerable people, and driving more and more people to food banks - the choice is between having welfare powers in Scotland's hands, or leaving them in the hands of Iain Duncan Smith and George Osborne. There is no other option.That is why the SNP's welfare amendments to the Scotland Bill are so important, and why Scotland needs the opposition parties to come together to support them. Labour will show where they stand - for Scottish control, or Tory control - and voting against the SNP's amendments or abstaining will signal that they prefer Tory control.''

Mr Robertson insisted: Where Scotland has powers, we are doing better than the rest of the UK.For example, a smaller proportion of children in Scotland are living in poverty compared to the UK as a whole, largely due to measures taken by the SNP Government to mitigate Tory cuts, such as greater investment in social housing. But the figures are still unacceptably high - an enormous amount more needs to be done, which is precisely why we need more powers, including welfare.That is what the SNP's amendments are focused on achieving, and I trust that the anti-Tory parties in the House of Commons will come together to vote for them.''