Scotland to receive major transfer of devolved powers by 2015.

The legislation, passed on June 21st, will allow the Scottish government to set some taxes and control national speed limits, drink-driving laws and airgun legislation.

With the new powers, the Scottish Parliament will take charge of half the income tax raised in Scotland. Landfill tax and Stamp Duty will also be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

On the other hand, London will cut the block grant which Scotland gets from the United Kingdom.

At present, the Scottish Government's budget depends almost entirely on a UK grant and does not make any tax decisions of its own.

With the new financial arrangement, the Scottish Parliament will become a taxing body with the ability to raise cash and make decisions which will have an impact on the performance of the Scottish economy.

The Scotland Bill is based on the recommendations of the Calman Commission, a Commission on Scottish Devolution initiated by the Unionist parties at a time when the Scottish Government was promoting plans for an independence referendum in 2007.

The Scottish Government said the Scotland Bill does not go far enough and called for full fiscal autonomy to give Scotland the economic tools it needs to boost growth.

The UK's Scotland Office expects the new powers to be transferred to the Scottish Parliament by 2015.

Official page of the Scotland Bill on the UK Parliament website
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/scotland.html