A conservative anslysis of prospects for taxation in an independent Scotland.
Independence would give the Scottish government additional powers over taxation and areas of spending that are currently the preserve of the UK government. This would give Scotland greater freedom to design a system of taxes that meets its needs and aspirations and, if it were willing, correct some of the failings of the existing UK system. It would also allow Scotland to redesign public services and welfare provision and to change the areas it prioritises for public spending. Scotland would also have more choices about whether it wanted to be a lower-tax, lower-public-spending country or a higher-tax, higher-public spending country. But it would still face the same need to ensure its tax and spending policies were consistent with a sustainable fiscal position.