UK statement on Supreme Court in relation to the Lord Advocate’s referral of the Scottish Government’s draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill

Regarding the Lord Advocate’s referral of the Scottish Government ‘s draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill, the Advocate General for Scotland has now filed papers with the Supreme Court.

A UK Government spokesperson said:

“We have been clear that now is not the time to be discussing another independence referendum, when people across Scotland want both their governments to be working together on the issues that matter to them and their families.

“However, following the Lord Advocate’s referral of the Scottish Government’s draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill, the UK Government has today lodged its initial response with the Supreme Court.

“The papers confirm that the Advocate General for Scotland will become a formal party to the case, and ask the Court to consider whether it should accept the Lord Advocate’s referral.”