The UK Government has rejected calls for a referendum on abolishing the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government, following an online petition backed by more than 17,600 people. The Scotland Office confirmed it does not support introducing legislation that would allow voters to decide whether Holyrood should continue to exist.
Official Response to Petition
The official response was issued after the petition passed the 10,000-signature threshold, which requires the UK Government to provide a written reply. The petition, created by Georgina Sparrow, calls for a referendum in Scotland to decide whether the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government should be abolished.
In its official response, the Scotland Office stated: "The UK Government is clear in our respect for devolution and commitment to make existing devolution settlements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland work effectively to deliver on people's priorities. The Government does not support introducing legislation for a referendum on abolishing the Scottish Parliament."
It added: "The more we focus on substantive delivery such as investment in industry, energy security and public services and less on constitutional wrangling, the more we can achieve for the people of Scotland."
Support for Further Decentralisation
Although the UK Government has rejected the referendum proposal, it has indicated support for further decentralisation within Scotland. The Scotland Office stated: "The UK Government strongly believes that we need further decentralisation in Scotland and that power and funding must move out of Holyrood to strengthen Scotland's regional economies."
It added: "Decentralisation should drive innovation by empowering local leaders to trial different approaches, and learn from what works to ultimately deliver more for citizens."
The response also stressed the importance of cooperation between the UK and Scottish Governments to improve public services, economic growth and living standards. It stated: "While there will inevitably be areas where the UK and Scottish Governments take different positions, we remain committed to constructive engagement and practical cooperation wherever that can improve outcomes for people in Scotland and build a fairer country for everyone."
Petition Details and Next Steps
The petition was published on June 12 and passed the 10,000-signature milestone on September 24. It states: "We call on the UK Government to legislate on holding a referendum in Scotland to decide whether the Scottish Parliament & Government should be abolished."
The petition argues that the current composition of the Scottish Parliament does not accurately reflect the views of voters and raises concerns about public services and the operation of devolution. It added: "We believe there is a growing voice for the dismantling of devolution in Scotland and the return of local, more accountable democracy."
Under the UK Parliament petitions system, proposals attracting 100,000 signatures are considered by the Petitions Committee for a debate in Parliament. The Scottish Parliament was established following the 1997 devolution referendum and held its first election in May 1999. People can read the full UK Government response and view the petition on the UK Parliament petitions website.
