Finance

How would an independent Scotland borrow?

Author / Creator: Thomas Pope

Media type: Report

Date published: 2021

This report examines how Scotland would
borrow if it were to become independent.
It looks at how much it could borrow
consistently, based on the experience of
other advanced economies.


Green and sustainable finance in Scotland: Leveraging the growth opportunity

Author / Creator: Scottish Financial Enterprise

Media type: Report

Date published:

New report highlights role of green finance in driving Scotland’s net zero ambitions


The Impact of Scottish Independence on Tax, Pensions, and Financial Services

Author / Creator: Clifford Chance

Media type: Assessment report

Date published: August 2021

The most likely overall outcome for taxation is that rUK would treat Scottish individuals and companies in the same way as it treats any other country's individuals and companies (and vice versa).  Scotland will need to establish its own financial regulator and resolution authority and make arrangements for continuing the licences and supervision of Scottish firms.  Arrangements for pension investments and payments will be required.


What are the implications of independence for public revenues and spending?

Author / Creator: Graeme Roy

Media type: Assessment report

Date published: 2021

There is no question that an independent Scotland could run a sustainable budget. But like the UK, an independent Scotland would face major fiscal challenges both in the short and long run. Based upon the latest data, an independent Scotland is likely to face greater challenges than the UK as a whole (at least in the short-term).


How is Scotland in debt if it can't borrow?

Author / Creator: The National

Media type: News Media

Date published:

The accounts don’t suggest Scotland is in debt at all. People just don't understand how to analyse the UK Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report (GERS).


Claim Scots will be £2,000 worse off after independence is Unsupported

Author / Creator: The Ferret

Media type: Fact check

Date published:

The "Union Dividend" of £1941 per person [in 2019] only refers to the difference in current spending per head. It does not tell us what Scotland’s financial position would be after independence. 


Building Scotland’s future now: A new approach to financing public investment

Author / Creator: Iain Cairns

Media type: Policy Paper

Date published: 2017?

Reclaiming investment is a necessary task. The value in the concept of investment is that it is exactly the opposite of the sort of speculative, short-termism in economic thinking that dominates the minds of ‘investment’ bankers.


Potential dangers of public sector investment in hub sub debt

Author / Creator: Jim Cuthbert

Media type: Policy Paper

Date published: April 2017

An analysis of the potential dangers of Scottish Government investment in Hub sub-debt, which may act as a form of ‘concealed’ borrowing from the secondary market.