Bob Doris, SNP MSP for Glasgow, spoke out during the Scotland Bill debate this afternoon saying that new powers available to Scotland under the UK Government's Bill are 'strikingly modest' and that the position of the anti-independence parties would only 'increase support for independence'.

The Scottish Parliament voted to support a legislative consent motion to allow Westminster to make changes to the Scottish Parliament's powers. The anti-independence parties already believe the Scotland Bill does not go far enough but have so far failed to define the extra powers they want Scotland to have.

Mr Doris said: "Any extra powers for Scotland are welcome but it's nowhere near what's required.

"The background to this is politically cynical. The Calman Commission was set up in 2009 as a closed committee of unionists who wanted to oppose independence for Scotland. The debate over Scotland's constitutional future has moved on considerably since then and there is an acceptance amongst politicians of all persuasions that the issue is too important to be the subject of such political tactics.

"The Scotland Bill is a 'too little too late' offering from a Tory/ Liberal UK Government which has no mandate to run Scotland. Some of the contents of the Bill will be welcomed nonetheless, such as control over airgun legislation and drink driving limits – measures the SNP has been demanding for years.

"This Scotland Bill will be judged not by its contents but by its omissions. There is no provision in the Bill for Scotland to control our projected £400billion oil wealth, or powers to stop damaging UK benefit cuts. The Independence Referendum in 2014 will be the real opportunity for Scotland and the glaring inadequacy of this Scotland Bill should convince many undecided voters to vote yes."