The Scottish Parliament should be given new tax raising powers as part of a series of measures designed to increase accountability, the government will announce today.
The Scottish Secretary, Jim Murphy, will tell the Commons that Labour would give Scotland control of about £6bn in new tax powers, allowing the devolved parliament to vary income tax by up to 10p in the pound.
The white paper, Scotland's Future in the United Kingdom, will also propose that powers to ban airguns and set drink-drive and speed limits should be transferred from Westminster to Holyrood.
The government is responding to the findings of the Calman Commission review of devolution.
Speaking this morning, Murphy said: "Devolution has been a big success and the Scottish Parliament has gone from strength to strength, but I think we can go further.
"So, I want to see a Scottish Parliament that has additional powers.
"I want to see a Scottish Parliament which is more accountable to the people of Scotland, particularly on tax powers which is why we will make some announcements in the House of Commons about having a stronger Scottish Parliament inside the UK because I think that is what most people in Scotland want."
The announcement comes just days before the Scottish National Party government, led by First Minister Alex Salmond, publishes a white paper outlining plans for a referendum on independence for Scotland.
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