Questions & Answers

Rented housing both private and public should be energy efficient and at affordable levels. Legislation is being implemented to secure quality housing for new and existing buildings by 2040.

People want to know how the national security and defence of Scotland will be maintained.

The organisaton and provision of health and care services are important matters for the people of Scotland.  The Scottish Government has shown consistent support for the NHS and contributes more per head of population than England and without threats of privatisation

The international relations - political and trading - that Scotland will have is of interest.

The mechanisms and institutions that need creation or adaptation for an independent country are important.

The Barnet formula is used to calculate how much money Scotland receives each year from the UK Treasury. It calculates devolved budgets by using the previous year’s budget, then adjusts it based on increases or decreases in comparable spending per person in England. Parts of the resulting sum are with held for non-devolved expenditure, such as foreign affairs, defence, the Treasury and the Cabinet office.  Other areas of government such as the Home Office, HMRC have only a portion of their expenditure allocated by the formula.

The number, quality, and variety of housing needed to meet environmental, population and rental vs. owner/occupier requirements to meet needs is questioned.

The costs of the adjustments of government operations and international relations are of interest. Can we afford it?

The evidence is mixed.  The 60+% who voted to remain in the EU are supposed in the main to support independence in the EU.  There is a proportion of independence supporters who do not wish to re-join the EU.  These two groups seem to cancel each other out.  Until the pandemic, increasing support for independence seemed to increase as the problems of Brexit were revealed.  Since then Brexit has not been the major force for supporting independence.

Many people want to know if it would be legal for Scotland to just declare independence without asking permission. 

People want to know what Scotland's industries produce and what the national output is worth. 

Absolutely. Almost every country in the world has a written constitution and they are crucial for the proper functioning of a nation.

The means and conduct of negotiations with the UK will be of vital importance to Scotland

Do the details of independence need to be decided before the referendum?

People often consider the betting odds are as good or better than opinion polls in predicting outcomes.

Democracy can be improved at local and national levels. There are a variety of proposals, some of which depend on the terms of a Scottish constitution and others on post -independence legislation.

People want to know if the economy of Scotland would improve with independence.  

Who gets to be a citizen and how do you set up immigration rules?

People want to know how their pensions will continue to be paid - both private and state pensions.

The borders will be determined by agreement with England initially.  There remains a hard border between Scotland and the EU.  If Scotland were to join the EU, there will be a hard border between Scotland and England, although it to be hoped there will be an agreement as with Ireland for free movement of people between the countries.