姓名 : 邱科翰
班級 : 政一B
學號 : 07114248
[標題] SNP conference 2019: Party to decide on independence currency plan
[內文] The SNP is to decide on a new currency plan for an independent Scotland as its Spring conference opens in Edinburgh,.
The party leadership, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, wants Scotland to keep the pound in the years after independence.
They say the country could then look to introduce its own currency if six economic tests are met.
But some activists believe this does not go far enough, and want a separate currency introduced sooner.
The party conference comes in the week Ms Sturgeon laid out her plans for a further referendum on Scottish independence.
She told MSPs she wanted to give people "a choice on independence" before the next Holyrood elections in 2021 if the UK leaves the European Union.
However the UK government said the Scottish Parliament would not be given the power to hold a second poll.
What does the SNP leadership want?
Delegates at the two-day conference in Edinburgh will be asked to back proposals put forward by deputy leader Keith Brown and Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, which are largely based on the SNP's Growth Commission report.
Their motion says that the currency of an independent Scotland "should continue to be the pound sterling" until a separate currency "can be safely and securely established".
The aim should then be for the Scottish Parliament to take a decision on whether to establish a new currency "by the end of the first term of an independent Parliament".
But the motion also says that the precise timescale for doing so should be "guided" by the six tests set out by the Growth Commission.
These tests include an independent Scotland having a "sufficiently strong and credible fiscal position in relation to budget deficit and overall debt" before a separate currency is introduced.
And there would need to be evidence that the new currency would "meet the ongoing needs of Scottish residents and businesses".
Why is this significant?
The policy shift would mark a major change from the SNP's stance ahead of the 2014 independence referendum, when then-first minister Alex Salmond said Scotland would continue to use the pound in a formal UK-wide currency union.
This was immediately ruled out by the UK government - with the resulting uncertainty over what currency an independent Scotland would use widely seen as being a factor in independence being rejected by 55% to 45%.
But not everyone likes the new plan?
The Growth Commission proposals were drawn up by former SNP MSP Andrew Wilson, but have been heavily criticised by some on the left of the party - with former MP George Kerevan among those who want the six economic tests scrapped.
He argues that the leadership's plan is "conservative" and "could leave Scotland using the pound indefinitely".
Mr Kerevan has also claimed that it could "allow the City of London financial institutions to dictate an independent Scotland's decisions" and "effectively negate the very point of seeking independence".
He has been backed by some SNP branches and Inverclyde MP Ronnie Cowan, who have tabled their own plan that would see the party commit to introducing a new currency within the first term of an independent parliament.
Other proposals to be considered by the conference include introducing a separate currency "immediately" after independence, or doing so "as soon as practicable".
So what is likely to happen?
The leadership is confident of getting its own plan approved by the conference on Saturday afternoon, and believes it offers the best chance of converting No voters to the independence cause.
It points to polling which suggests only a small proportion of voters - about 6% - would want to switch to a Scottish currency in the short term.
Writing in the National newspaper earlier this week, Ms Sturgeon said it was not credible to suggest that new financial institutions, such as a central bank, could be set up immediately after independence.
And she said proposing to "press ahead regardless of our state of preparedness or the state of the economy" would "undermine rather than enhance the case for a Yes vote".
Ms Sturgeon will address the conference on Sunday, just days after making her announcement on a second referendum.
She denies that the move was an attempt to placate activists who believe she has been too cautious in her pursuit of independence.
The conference will open on Saturday with a speech by Scotland's Brexit secretary, Mike Russell, who will argue that Scotland is moving "inexorably to independence".
But he will urge delegates to listen to everyone in the country so that they can "play a part in building our new national story".
…
[相關憲法條文]
憲法第 107 條 : 左列事項，由中央立法並執行之：
一、 外交。
二、 國防與國防軍事。
三 、 國籍法及刑事、民事、商事之法律。
四 、 司法制度。
五、 航空、國道、國有鐵路、航政、郵政及電政。
六、 中央財政與國稅。
七、 國稅與省稅、縣稅之劃分。
八、 國營經濟事業。
九、 幣制及國家銀行。
十、 度量衡。
十一、 國際貿易政策。
十二、 涉外之財政經濟事項。
十三、 其他依本憲法所定關於中央之事項。
憲法第 108 條 : 左列事項，由中央立法並執行之，或交由省縣執行之：
一、 省縣自治通則。
二、 行政區劃 。
三、 森林、工礦及商業。
四、 教育制度。
五、 銀行及交易所制度。
六、 航業及海洋漁業。
七、 公用事業。
八、 合作事業。
九、 二省以上之水陸交通運輸。
十、 二省以上之水利、河道及農牧事業。
十一、 中央及地方官吏之銓敘、任用、糾察及保障。
十二、 土地法。
十三、 勞動法及其他社會立法。
十四、 公用徵收。
十五、 全國戶口調查及統計。
十六、 移民及墾殖。
十七、 警察制度。
十八、 公共衛生。
十九、 振濟、撫卹及失業救濟。
二十、 有關文化之古籍、古物及古蹟之保存。
前項各款，省於不牴觸國家法律內，得制定單行法規。
憲法第 109 條 : 左列事項，由省立法並執行之，或交由縣執行之：
一、 省教育、衛生、實業及交通。
二、 省財產之經營及處分。
三、 省市政。
四、 省公營事業。
五、 省合作事業。
六、 省農林、水利、漁牧及工程。
七、 省財政及省稅。
八、 省債。
九、 省銀行。
十、 省警政之實施。
十一、 省慈善及公益事項。
十二、 其他依國家法律賦予之事項。
前項各款，有涉及二省以上者，除法律別有規定外，得由有關各省共同辦理。
各省辦理第一項各款事務，其經費不足時，經立法院議決，由國庫補助之。
憲法第 145 條 : 國民生產事業及對外貿易，應受國家之獎勵、指導及保護。
憲法第 149 條 : 金融機構，應依法受國家之管理。
憲法增修條文第 9 條 : 省、縣地方制度，應包括左列各款，以法律定之，不受憲法第一百零八條第一項第一款、第一百零九條、第一百十二條至第一百十五條及第一百二十二條之限制：
一、省設省政府，置委員九人，其中一人為主席，均由行政院院長提請總統任命之。
二、省設省諮議會，置省諮議會議員若干人，由行政院院長提請總統任命之。
三、縣設縣議會，縣議會議員由縣民選舉之。
四、屬於縣之立法權，由縣議會行之。
五、縣設縣政府，置縣長一人，由縣民選舉之。
六、中央與省、縣之關係。
七、省承行政院之命，監督縣自治事項。
台灣省政府之功能、業務與組織之調整，得以法律為特別之規定。
[相關法條]
中央銀行法第 13 條 : 中華民國貨幣，由本行發行之。
本行發行之貨幣為國幣，對於中華民國境內之一切支付，具有法償效力。
貨幣之印製及鑄造，由本行設廠專營並管理之。
中央銀行法第 16 條 : 本行發行及委託發行之貨幣，應以金銀、外匯、合格票據及有價證券，折
值十足準備。
硬幣免提發行準備。
中央銀行法第 34 條 : 本行得視對外收支情況，調節外匯供需，以維持有秩序之外匯市場。
中央銀行法第 36 條 : 本行經理國庫業務，經管國庫及中央政府各機關現金、票據、證券之出納
、保管、移轉及財產契據之保管事務。
前項業務，在本行未設分支機構地點，必要時得委託其他金融機構辦理。
…
心得評論：
Local governance. Devolution. Balance of powers. No matter the phrase used, it’s always a central issue in British politics. And this week, the Scots outdid themselves.
I mean, how can anyone with basic knowledge on economics support this ? The SNP actually proposed to replace the pound “as soon as practicable" after their “independence”. This is naive and ignorance at their most splendid display. On a more practical tone, Scotland is still one of the four nations that forms the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so there would be little to no chances that the pound would be replaced. As long as Scotland remains in the UK, the pound is here to stay. Currency is a “reserve power” that belongs strictly to the UK government, and I don’t think the Scottish Parliament would have any hopes of getting further devolution on monetary affairs. And then again, even if Scotland were to leave the UK, it would require some sort of referendum or bills done at Westminster. Both of which seemed unlikely as of now. The SNP must face the facts and work with what they have. Scotland could not sustain herself without the pound and this Scottish currency masterplan must wait.
While I am all for a fair share of political participation and equal representation, I still think Scotland should remain in the UK. Deals might stand a chance in Westminster, but if Scotland leaves, they’ll be on their own. Plus, Scotland already has more devolve powers than Wales or Northern Ireland. I do support some level of local governance, but I think reserve powers are what they are and should be controlled only by Whitehall.
Things in Taiwan would be so much easier. The ROC Constitution LITERALLY states what powers belongs to who. And so for this case, currency is a reserve power, as listed in Article 107, with the central government holding all authority. On another note though, what might Taipei City do if it were to leave the ROC…
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