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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Scottish independence: Treasury claims '£1.6bn funding gap' in White Paper | Scottish independence: Treasury claims '£1.6bn funding gap' in White Paper |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An independent Scotland would need to find an extra £1.6bn a year to pay for policies such as free childcare, according to the UK government. | An independent Scotland would need to find an extra £1.6bn a year to pay for policies such as free childcare, according to the UK government. |
| Treasury analysis of the Scottish government's White Paper alleges the "unfunded" initiatives would lead to tax rises or spending cuts. | Treasury analysis of the Scottish government's White Paper alleges the "unfunded" initiatives would lead to tax rises or spending cuts. |
| The chief secretary to the Treasury said the Scottish government could not "spend what it will not have". | The chief secretary to the Treasury said the Scottish government could not "spend what it will not have". |
| Scottish ministers said the Treasury's figures were "all over the place". | Scottish ministers said the Treasury's figures were "all over the place". |
| Both Finance Secretary John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the positive side of an independent Scotland was being ignored. | |
| Mr Swinney told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The no campaign's numbers are all over the place. | |
| "If we go back to September, they were alleging a £32bn black hole in the finances of an independent Scotland. That came down in November to £10bn and we have now got a claim of £1.6bn. | |
| "When you look at the Treasury analysis there is no account taken of the positive impact on the economy of any of the measures we have set out to boost growth within the Scottish economy." | |
| The White Paper on independence, which was launched last month by First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, contained a number of key policy commitments, including: | The White Paper on independence, which was launched last month by First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, contained a number of key policy commitments, including: |
| According to the UK Treasury, these three policies would cost £1bn a year by the end of the first parliament, and £1.6bn a year by the end of the second parliament - comparable to the annual cost of Scotland's entire police and fire services. | According to the UK Treasury, these three policies would cost £1bn a year by the end of the first parliament, and £1.6bn a year by the end of the second parliament - comparable to the annual cost of Scotland's entire police and fire services. |
| This does not include costs associated with other policy commitments contained in the document, including returning the Royal Mail to public ownership and increasing the National Insurance employment allowance, said the Treasury. | This does not include costs associated with other policy commitments contained in the document, including returning the Royal Mail to public ownership and increasing the National Insurance employment allowance, said the Treasury. |
| Voters in Scotland will go to the polls on 18 September 2014, and will be asked the "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" | Voters in Scotland will go to the polls on 18 September 2014, and will be asked the "yes/no" question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" |
| 'Dynamic impact' | 'Dynamic impact' |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: "The reality is that the White Paper shows nothing about how [the Scottish government] would pay for these commitments. | Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: "The reality is that the White Paper shows nothing about how [the Scottish government] would pay for these commitments. |
| "The Scottish government cannot claim it is going to spend what it will not have. | "The Scottish government cannot claim it is going to spend what it will not have. |
| "Within the UK, Scottish businesses are benefitting from the substantial cuts in corporation tax the coalition has delivered, and Scottish families will benefit from tax-free childcare in 2015. | "Within the UK, Scottish businesses are benefitting from the substantial cuts in corporation tax the coalition has delivered, and Scottish families will benefit from tax-free childcare in 2015. |
| "The real choice next year is between unfunded promises that ignore the realities of being a new and separate country or an economic, political and social union - in the UK - that has stood the test of time." | "The real choice next year is between unfunded promises that ignore the realities of being a new and separate country or an economic, political and social union - in the UK - that has stood the test of time." |
| However, Mr Swinney said that public finances in Scotland had been stronger than the UK "to the tune of £12.6bn". | |
| He accused the Scottish government of looking at one side of the equation and not looking at the positive side of the economy. | |