THE SNP has accused the UK Government of trying to “dictate” to the Scottish Government over how workplace trade union reforms should operate within public services in Scotland.

Measures in the controversial Trade Union Bill, which the Nationalists and Labour strongly oppose, include:

*a 50 per cent threshold for ballot turn-out with an additional threshold of 40 per cent support for industrial action in key sectors like health, education and public transport;

*cutting back “taxpayer-funded subsidies” to trade unions, so-called facility time, with a potential saving of £150 million a year;

*doubling the level of notice to 14 days unions have to give before a strike can be held; and

*ending the so-called check-off system for collecting union subscriptions direct from a salary.

During the course of the legislation, Stephen Doughty, the Shadow Business Minister, directly asked Nick Boles, the Business Minister, if Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, would “make regulations that affect facility time in the health services of Scotland and Wales, which are wholly devolved and under the control of health ministers in those countries?”

The Minister replied: “Yes,” but stressed how health policy and the management of the NHS in those countries would remain under the control of the devolved governments.

Chris Stephens, the SNP MP for Glasgow South West, reacted by saying: “Having only just debated Evel last week, it seems that the UK Government now want to dictate to devolved administrations.”

The UK Government argues its legislation brings the operation of the trade unions into the 21st century and is necessary to stop "endless" threats of industrial action.

Angela Eagle, the Shadow Business Secretary, has branded it draconian, claiming it is the “most significant, sustained and partisan attack on six million trade union members and their workplace organisations…in the last 30 years”.

The SNP Government says Scotland should be exempted from its provisions.

Roseanna Cunningham, its Fair Work Secretary, has made clear exemption is the “only way in which we would be able to maintain the integrity of our more progressive approach of working in partnership with trade unions”.

But the Conservative Government argues that, because employment law remains reserved, there is no need for Holyrood to give its consent to the legislation, which is now at its detailed scrutiny stage in committee at Westminster.