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Scottish independence: Holyrood to debate White Paper Scottish independence: White Paper childcare pledge 'would save £4,600'
(about 4 hours later)
A debate on the Scottish government's independence White Paper is to be held at Holyrood later. Childcare plans in the independence White Paper would see families save up to £4,600 per child each year, according to the Scottish government.
The debate will gave members of the Scottish Parliament a chance to examine the 670-page document in more detail. Speaking ahead of a Holyrood debate on the blueprint, First Minister Alex Salmond said independence would allow a transformational change in childcare.
First Minister Alex Salmond described the White Paper as the "most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published". The debate will give members of the Scottish Parliament a chance to examine the 670-page document in more detail.
But Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont suggested the document's projections were "not credible". Scottish Labour said the document's projections were "not credible".
Mr Salmond described the White Paper as the "most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published".
A referendum on Scottish independence will be held on 18 September next year, with voters being asked the straight yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"A referendum on Scottish independence will be held on 18 September next year, with voters being asked the straight yes/no question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
The White Paper, which contains the arguments in favour of independence and is intended as a guide to what might happen if it is achieved, was launched by Mr Salmond at Glasgow's Science Centre on Tuesday morning.The White Paper, which contains the arguments in favour of independence and is intended as a guide to what might happen if it is achieved, was launched by Mr Salmond at Glasgow's Science Centre on Tuesday morning.
Speaking ahead of the parliamentary debate, Ms Lamont questioned whether independence would bring the benefits claimed by the Scottish government. Return to work
Interviewed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, she said: "The assumption that simply by Scotland going it alone we will somehow be more radical, more progressive, is simply not true. Proposals included extending the support available to young people and their families and to expand childcare provision to match the best in Europe.
"We will still have to deal with the arithmetic of politics which is you have to fund things. Under its plans, it said children would be entitled to 30 hours of childcare each week - the same number of hours as a child at primary school - benefiting about 240,000 children.
"What we seem to be getting from the Scottish government now is that we will cut taxes and at the same time we'll improve services - that's not credible." Speaking ahead of the parliamentary debate, Mr Salmond said tax revenues, generated by more Scottish women returning to work, would stay in Scotland instead of going to Westminster.
The White Paper is titled Scotland's Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland, and states that Scotland would become independent on 24 March 2016 if there is a Yes vote in the referendum. "At the moment, without all the powers of independence, we have managed to prioritise childcare and are increasing the number of hours from 412.5 to 600.
Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney, who also spoke to the Good Morning Scotland programme, said that after independence was achieved it would be important to "put all of our focus on resolving the issues that need to be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible". "Independence offers us the powers to go much further. If we matched, for example, the female labour market participation of Sweden, this would generate an extra £700m in tax revenue.
Asked what would be the biggest challenge, the minister said: "I don't think it easy to separate the issues out. There will be major issues and some of the defence questions [including] the removal of nuclear weapons from Scottish soil and waters which is something that we are absolutely determined has to happen." "As we progressively expand childcare, the tax revenue generated would pay for further expansion."
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont claimed the proposals were not costed and suggested the Scottish government did not have to wait until after the referendum to improve childcare provision.
Interviewed on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, she said: "Issues like childcare are not just about women sitting at home unable work, but about people who are in work juggling childcare pressures.
'Cynicism'
"So there's not a direct simple 'we will invest in childcare and that means more people will be in work'."
She added: "The cynicism of it is that you will get it after the referendum.
"If they were serious about the policy, if they were serious about supporting families now they could make more progress than they are doing."
She claimed the Scottish government was offering to cut taxes while improving services, and this was "not credible".
The first minister is due to open Wednesday afternoon's debate for the Scottish government.The first minister is due to open Wednesday afternoon's debate for the Scottish government.
He will argue that "it is better for everyone in Scotland if decisions about the country's future are taken by the people who care most about Scotland, the people who live and work here".He will argue that "it is better for everyone in Scotland if decisions about the country's future are taken by the people who care most about Scotland, the people who live and work here".
Mr Salmond will also say he looks forward to a positive national debate on independence for Scotland, with contributions from all perspectives and from all sectors of Scottish society, before next September's historic vote.Mr Salmond will also say he looks forward to a positive national debate on independence for Scotland, with contributions from all perspectives and from all sectors of Scottish society, before next September's historic vote.
The White Paper confirmed that Scotland would seek to secure a Sterling currency union with the remainder of the UK after independence, and asserted that the country would negotiate for a smooth transition to EU and Nato membership.The White Paper confirmed that Scotland would seek to secure a Sterling currency union with the remainder of the UK after independence, and asserted that the country would negotiate for a smooth transition to EU and Nato membership.
Child careChild care
The document also makes a series of pledges to be fulfilled if the SNP forms the first government in a newly-independent Scotland.The document also makes a series of pledges to be fulfilled if the SNP forms the first government in a newly-independent Scotland.
These included:These included:
Speaking at the document's launch, Mr Salmond said it was a "mission statement and a prospectus for the kind of country we should be and which this government believes we can be".Speaking at the document's launch, Mr Salmond said it was a "mission statement and a prospectus for the kind of country we should be and which this government believes we can be".
But former UK chancellor Alistair Darling, who leads the pro-UK Better Together campaign, accused the Scottish government of having "ducked the opportunity to answer the big questions about Scotland's future", and said the White Paper was "thick with false promises and meaningless assertions."But former UK chancellor Alistair Darling, who leads the pro-UK Better Together campaign, accused the Scottish government of having "ducked the opportunity to answer the big questions about Scotland's future", and said the White Paper was "thick with false promises and meaningless assertions."