CBI: White Paper should come sooner

Dec 28 2012

The Scottish Government has been urged to bring forward the publication of its independence White Paper to give businesses "greater clarity and certainty" about the impact it would have if the country were to leave the UK.

CBI Scotland director Iain McMillan said "many questions" need answered as he described 2013 as a crucial year for the debate over Scotland's future.

The business lobbying organisation set out key questions about the possible effect leaving the UK would have on Scotland's economy, defence jobs and areas such as taxation.

It also called for more detail on issues such as the currency of an independent Scotland and its fiscal and economic position.

With the White Paper on independence due in November next year, CBI Scotland said it "would urge the Scottish Government to consider publishing it, or at least those elements relating to macro and micro-economic policy, earlier than currently envisaged in order to provide the greater clarity and certainty that businesses seek".

The call was contained in a paper by CBI Scotland, setting out questions its members want to see addressed in the White Paper.

In his New Year message, Mr McMillan said: "As part of their due diligence ahead of the referendum, many business leaders will carry out an assessment of the possible impact of Scotland leaving the United Kingdom on Scotland's economy and their businesses.

"This gives rise to many questions and as we go through 2013, a crucial year in this debate, undoubtedly further questions will arise. We hope very much that the White Paper will address these questions in full and provide the necessary supporting evidence."

While CBI Scotland's paper accepted that the decision on Scotland's future is "rightly and ultimately one for the electorate", it stressed that "industry and wider civic society has a role to play too".

Its members are "keen to understand the Scottish Government's plans and vision for the business landscape in the event of independence".