Questions & Answers

The protection of the human rights of individuals - of all genders and origins - and their relationships needs to be protected by the constitution and through laws. How will this be done?

People want to know if Scotland can keep using the pound after independence, or if an independent currency is viable. 

Now, post-Brexit, people wonder if Scotland would be accepted back into the EU.  This raises the question of a hard border between Scotland and England.

What are costs of independence and the work required to set up new governing systems?

Are people more inclined to want independence because of Brexit and being taken out of the EU against the will of the population? 

People want to know how the annual GERS figures tell us about independence.

Are there benefits for England if Scotland were independent? What are the international implications? What of the rest of the UK?

People want to know if the economy of Scotland is good enough to support an independent nation.

Opposition to Scottish independence needs to be understood.

The ownership exploitation and taxation of land in Scotland is of public interest.  

People wonder what actions the UK and international governments could take if Scotland just declared independence.  

Scotland cannot be self-sufficient in food, but it can develop a more effective way to provide and promote healthy nutrition.

People want to know how Scotland could be improved by independence.

The policies for children in Scotland need to be developed to counter child and family poverty and deprivation, child care, early education.

People are curious about the annual publication of GERS. 

People want to know if the Scottish economy can support the country after independence 

The constitution and administrative organisation of the governance of an independent Scotland.

In the light of recent comments by prominent political figures people want to know what will constitute a majority in a future referendum on Scotland's self-determination. 

By the 1st quarter of 2021 house prices were rising faster than the rest of the UK.  This might be resulting from low supply with high demand. Whether the trend will continue after independence will be dependent on the relation of supply to demand.  The Scottish government committed to building an average of 10,000 affordable homes over 10 years, but this is below the demand levels, which might indicate continuing price increases.

Scotland already has most of the public finance administration structure in place.  It will need to be expanded to take on the roles currently reserved to Westminster.