Summary The measures would create "a strong Scotland, with its own identity and its own powers: Cameron
LONDON (AFP) - Britain s government published a draft law Thursday on handing more powers to Scotland including greater control on tax after the country rejected independence in a referendum last year.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the move would make the Scottish parliament "one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world".
"For the first time, the majority of the money the Scottish parliament spends will be raised right here in Scotland," he said on a visit to Edinburgh.
The measures would create "a strong Scotland, with its own identity and its own powers -- all within the safety and security of our United Kingdom," he added.
But Scotland s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party (SNP) said the measures did not go as far as was promised and meant London could veto some key decisions made by her government on benefits.
She and Cameron held talks in Edinburgh Thursday.
The proposals include new powers to set the rates and thresholds for income tax and also would see the Scottish government receive a larger proportion of tax revenues.
Sturgeon s SNP wants full independence for Scotland.
It is opposed to the latest proposals which were among concessions promised by Britain s political leaders three days before Scotland s independence referendum in September which opinion polls had suggested could deliver a shock "Yes" vote.
The process to make them law will only begin after Britain s general election on May 7 which could see dramatic changes in which parties hold Scottish seats in the British parliament in London.
The SNP is expected to make major gains and at least double its tally of six lawmakers.
This could cast the party as power brokers if, as polls suggest, Cameron s Conservatives or the main opposition Labour party fail to win an outright majority.
The nationalists have indicated they could team up with Labour but would use their position to push for more powers for the Scottish Parliament which go beyond the current proposals.
