Independence referendum: UK facts heading for Scottish households
Ahead of the Scottish referendum, a booklet explaining what staying in the UK means for Scotland will start dropping through letterboxes.
If you want to know what staying in the United Kingdom means for Scotland then look out for a new booklet being delivered to every Scottish household from today (Monday, June 23rd).
The 16-page booklets are full of facts on how Scotland benefits from using the UK Pound, sharing risks with 31 million UK taxpayers and having no border with our largest trading partner – the rest of the UK. More than two million of the booklets will be delivered in Scotland over the coming days.
You can use our tool to explore how Scottish independence could affect your home, work and family or visit the Scottish independence referendum page for more information
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael urged people to take the time to read the material and ask themselves “do we really want to gamble all of this when the alternative is so full of risks and uncertainty?”
The booklet - What staying in the United Kingdom means for Scotland - lists a number of important benefits that have all being sourced from detailed analysis over the past couple of years. These include:
- Being part of the UK is worth £1400 every year to each person because of the UK’s stronger financial position
- Public spending in Scotland is 10 per cent higher than the UK average
- The UK Pound is backed up by 31 million UK taxpayers and would not be possible to recreate across two separate states
- Thousands of Scottish jobs depend on the trade with the rest of the UK. Two-thirds of our exports go to England, Wales and Northern Ireland – more than the rest of the world combined
- Savings and pensions are more secure when the risks are shared among 31 million UK taxpayers
- Having more than 200 UK embassies and consulates around the world means that Scots have a right to access help and support if they are on business or on holiday
- The UK is the second largest aid donor in the world and we use our influence and resources to tackle extreme poverty and saves lives in humanitarian crises
Mr Carmichael said:
The Government has a duty to provide people in Scotland with facts ahead of our referendum decision in September. We know that people want more information that is clear and reliable. This is precisely what is being delivered to every Scottish household today.
I would urge people to take the time to read the booklet and reflect on the clear benefits we have from being part of a United Kingdom. Do we really want to gamble all of this when the alternative is so full of risk and uncertainty.