苏格兰独立公投在即，英国三大政党领袖15日签署了一项保证协议，承诺在苏格兰不独立的前提下，向苏格兰下放更多的权力。

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.

英国三大主要政党领袖签署了一项保证协议，称如果苏格兰不独立，将对其下放更多权力。

最近有关苏格兰独立公投（Scottish Independence Referendum）的报道中经常会见到devolution这个词，即“放权”，该词为devolve的名词形式，“放权”的完整表达为devolve power，“向…放权”则为devolve power to someone。咱们国家近两年提出的“简政放权”则多译为“streamline administration and delegate more power to lower-level governments”。

三大党领袖的承诺书中包括三项内容，分别为extensive new powers for the Scottish Parliament delivered by the process and to the timetable agreed" by the three parties（苏格兰议会将获得更广泛的权力，三大政党就下放权力的进程和时间表达成一致），the UK exists to ensure opportunity and security for all by sharing our resources equitably（保证英国各部公平分享资源），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（鉴于巴奈特方案的持续性和苏格兰议会增加收入的能力，国家医疗体系的资金支出由苏格兰政府决定）。

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen）