On 18 September, voters in Scotland will be asked “Should Scotland be an independent country?”.
The UK and Scottish Governments agree that the question is for people in Scotland to decide. The UK Government strongly believes that Scotland’s future is better staying within the United Kingdom, but it has of course pledged to respect the outcome.
As part of its commitment to a fair and decisive referendum in Scotland, the UK Government has commissioned a number of papers to evaluate the benefits of Scotland remaining in the UK, both to Scotland and the rest of the UK. Late last week, it published the fifteenth and final paper.
United Kingdom, united future: Conclusions of the Scotland analysis programme summarises the previous papers in the series and sets out the programme’s key findings on issues such as currency, businesses and jobs, the affordability of public services, personal finances, and Scotland’s place in Europe and in the world.
The paper shows that Scotland is better off as part of the UK, now and in the future.
With a strong Scottish Parliament, Scotland can make its own decisions in devolved areas, while sharing risks and resources with the other parts of the UK. The best of all worlds for the best of all lands!
More than 200 UK public institutions serve people in Scotland, underpinned by shared principles and values. If Scotland votes for independence, this will come to an end.
As part of the UK, Scotland has one of the oldest and most stable currencies in the world. It would not be possible to recreate today’s arrangements if the UK as it stands did not exist. That is why all three main political parties in the UK Parliament have ruled out sharing the Pound or the Bank of England in a formal currency union.
A great weight of evidence says that Scotland’s finances are stronger as part of the UK. Independent experts agree that the UK offers people in Scotland lower taxes and higher public spending than would be possible in an independent Scotland – an estimated £1,400 per person per year for each person in Scotland.
There would also be global implications for an independent Scotland. Currently, the people of Scotland benefit from the UK’s reach and strength on the world stage. The UK has a unique and historic role in world affairs which it uses to enhance its security and prosperity. Scotland also benefits from and contributes to the UK’s relationships with other countries, and the UK’s high profile in multilateral organisations, including NATO, the UN Security Council and the EU.
Previous Scotland Analysis papers can be found here.