Scotland Should Get Increased Powers, Including Over Taxation, Commission Says

导读:根据一项协议提案，苏格兰被许以广泛的税收和福利开支权力。该协议的目的在于应对民众的担忧，正是这些担忧促使苏格兰今年9月试图脱离联合王国。具有开拓性的相关提议得到了英格兰和苏格兰主要政治领导人的支持。

Scotland was promised sweeping powers over taxation and welfare spending on Thursday under a proposed deal meant to address concerns that helped drive a Scottish attempt to secede from the United Kingdom in September.
周四，根据一项协议提案，苏格兰被许以广泛的税收和福利开支权力。该协议的目的在于应对民众的担忧，正是这些担忧促使苏格兰今年9月试图脱离联合王国。

The groundbreaking proposals have the backing of major political leaders in both England and Scotland, but a final vote on legislation to enact the changes is not expected until next year after a new government is elected. And even as the plan was commended by political leaders, it was also raising new questions about how to share power equitably within the United Kingdom.<>
具有开拓性的相关提议得到了英格兰和苏格兰主要政治领导人的支持，但预计要等到明年选举出新一届政府后，才会对该议案进行最终投票，以颁布相关改革。而且，尽管得到了政治领袖的称赞，该计划也引发了关于如何在联合王国内部公平地共享权力的新问题。

The proposed changes represent the biggest shake-up of Scotland’s relationship with London since the Scottish Parliament was re-established in Edinburgh 15 years ago. British leaders, shaken by polls that had showed momentum shifting toward independence, promised Scots more autonomy if they rejected secession in the referendum in September. (The independence bid later lost by a vote of 55 percent to 45 percent.
变革提议意味着苏格兰与伦敦之间的关系将迎来自苏格兰议会15年前在爱丁堡恢复以来的最大改变。今年9月，民意测验显示独立势头渐长后，被惊动的英国领导人承诺，如果苏格兰人在公投中拒绝脱离联合王国，就赋予其更多自治权。（后来，独立行动以55%民众反对、45%民众支持败北。）

The plan announced on Thursday was devised by a commission that included representatives from Scotland’s main political parties. Under its proposals, the Scottish Parliament would have the power to set income tax rates, and some of the revenues from sales taxes raised in Scotland would go toward the Scottish budget. The Scottish government would also be able to control the duties imposed on passengers traveling through Scottish airports.
周四公布的该计划是由一个委员会制定的，其成员包括苏格兰主要政党的代表。根据计划中的提议，苏格兰议会将有权制定所得税税率，并且苏格兰征收的销售税收入中，部分将进入苏格兰的预算。苏格兰政府还有权控制对途经苏格兰机场的乘客征收的关税。

In addition, Scotland would gain significant control over welfare spending. Scotland generally leans more to the left than England and one of the main goals of many of those who pushed for secession was to be able to spend more liberally on social programs.
此外，苏格兰将对福利支出拥有极大的控制权。和英格兰相比，苏格兰通常更偏左，并且许多人争取脱离英国的目的之一，就是能更自由地在社会事业上支出。

The Scottish Parliament also would be given the power to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.But even as political leaders lauded the proposals on Thursday, tensions about their wider ramifications were clear.
苏格兰议会还将获得允许16岁和17岁的公民参加投票选举的权力。不过，虽然政治领导人周四对这些提议表示赞赏，但提议的更广泛后果所引发的矛盾仍然清晰可见。

Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday welcomed the commission’s findings saying it was a “good day for the U.K.” But he again called for curbs on the ability of Scottish lawmakers elected to the British Parliament to decide on issues related solely to England.
英国首相戴维·卡梅伦(David Cameron)周四对委员会的成果表示欢迎，称当天“对英国来说是美好的一天”。但他再次呼吁采取一些措施来限制苏格兰议员在英国议会中决定纯属英格兰事务的权力。

The opposition Labour Party opposes that idea because 41 of its lawmakers were elected from Scotland.
反对党工党(Labour Party)对这个想法表示反对，因为该党议员中有41人来自苏格兰。

Wales’s first minister, Carwyn Jones, meanwhile, called for Wales to receive similar powers to those being devised for Scotland. “If it’s going to Scotland and not to Wales, how else are the people of Wales meant to look at it other than it being discriminatory on the part of the U.K. government?” he told the BBC.
与此同时，威尔士第一部长卡尔温·琼斯(Carwyn Jones)呼吁威尔士获得与苏格兰类似的权力。“如果苏格兰有，而威尔士没有，威尔士人会认为，如果这不是英国政府的歧视，还能是什么？”他对英国广播公司(BBC)说。

And there was criticism from some English lawmakers including Edward Leigh, a Conservative former minister, who said there were “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” in the report. Rushing the process risked “throwing petrol on the embers of English resentment” about Scottish separatism, he said in Parliament.
一些英格兰的议员也提出了质疑，包括前部长、保守党人爱德华·李(Edward Leigh)。他说，报告中存在“一些不一致的地方，以及待解的疑问”。他在议会上说，匆忙完成这个过程可能会“向英格兰对苏格兰分离主义的不满火上浇油”。

Legislation on the recommendations is expected to be drafted early next year and put in place by the government that will be formed after a general election in May.
建议的法案预计将于明年年初起草，由明年5月大选后组建的新政府来实施。

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