蘇格蘭獨立公投在即，英國三大政黨領袖15日簽署了一項保證協議，承諾在蘇格蘭不獨立的前提下，向蘇格蘭下放更多的權力。

A "No" campaign placard and Union flag are seen outside a cottage on the Isle of North Uist, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, September 15, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

The leaders of the three main parties at Westminster have signed a pledge to devolve more powers to Scotland, if Scots reject independence.

英國三大主要政黨領袖簽署了一項保證協議，稱如果蘇格蘭不獨立，將對其下放更多權力。

最近有關蘇格蘭獨立公投（Scottish Independence Referendum）的報道中經常會見到devolution這個詞，即“放權”，該詞為devolve的名詞形式，“放權”的完整表達為devolve power，“向…放權”則為devolve power to someone。咱們國家近兩年提出的“簡政放權”則多譯為“streamline administration and delegate more power to lower-level governments”。

三大黨領袖的承諾書中包括三項內容，分別為extensive new powers for the Scottish Parliament delivered by the process and to the timetable agreed" by the three parties（蘇格蘭議會將獲得更廣泛的權力，三大政黨就下放權力的進程和時間表達成一致），the UK exists to ensure opportunity and security for all by sharing our resources equitably（保證英國各部公平分享資源），the final say on funding for the NHS will lie with the Scottish Government because of the continuation of the Barnett allocation for resources, and the powers of the Scottish Parliament to raise revenue（鑒于巴奈特方案的持續性和蘇格蘭議會增加收入的能力，國家醫療體系的資金支出由蘇格蘭政府決定）。

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen）