Chamber and committees

Serious and organised crime does not respect or recognise borders between countries. Cross-border information sharing powers already exist in legislation and operate effectively, across the rest of the UK and wider. Current arrangements are equally beneficial for all countries involved. The Scottish Government will work with the rest of the UK to ensure that these arrangements continue.

As I indicated at the Foreign Affairs Committee on 28 January 2013, in common with many other countries, the threats that an independent Scotland would face include: cyber threat, international terrorism, the threat that comes from global instability and the possibility of failed states, and serious organised crime.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16000 on 30 August 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15868 on 30 August 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15951 on 30 August 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15951 on 30 August 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Scotland is in a stronger fiscal position than the rest of the UK. Scotland’s balance sheet estimates that over the period 2007-08 to 2011-12 as a whole Scotland’s relative fiscal surplus was equivalent to £12.6 billion. Additionally, in each of the last 32 years to 2011-12, per capita tax receipts in Scotland have been higher than in the UK. The paper can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00418420.pdf

Independence would provide the Scottish Government with the key economic and fiscal levers to promote sustainable economic growth and to tackle inequalities. The Fiscal Commission Working Group has set out a robust macroeconomic framework for Scotland post-independence.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15914 on 30 August 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

These functions are currently reserved, and on independence would become the responsibility of the parliament and government of an independent Scotland. In delivering these functions, an independent Scotland would ensure continuity of services and would fully meet its international obligations.

Ministers have set out their view, including in evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee on 02 July 2013, that the budget for defence and security in an independent Scotland should be £2.5 billion, a potential saving of nearly £1 billion compared with the amount of money Scottish tax-payers currently contribute to UK spending on defence and security. It would also be well above recent UK defence spending in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will publish its detailed white paper with positive proposals on the opportunities and gains of independence in the autumn. Material on the referendum and the Scottish Government’s proposals for an independent Scotland can be found at: www.scotreferendum.com including published papers and speeches. This site will be regularly updated with additional material including the Scottish Government’s white paper in the run up to the referendum.

Our plans will ensure that Scotland’s people, territory and interests are secure. They will include detail on the scale and capabilities of Scottish defence and security forces, and the means by which Scotland’s defence and security procurement would support, and be supported by, its defence and security industries.