Benefits of UK leaflet sent to Scottish households
Second UK Government information leaflet to be sent to Scottish households ahead of Scottish independence referendum
People across Scotland will receive a second information leaflet from the UK Government through their letterboxes next week, setting out the five main benefits of remaining part of the UK.
It will be sent to each Scottish household and follows a booklet sent out in June which made the positive and detailed case for Scotland remaining part of the UK. The move comes in response to the public’s frequent requests for more information ahead of the referendum vote on 18 September.
The latest leaflet will explain the five main benefits Scotland gains as part of the UK.
They are:
- Keeping the UK pound – one of the strongest and most stable currencies in the world.
- Cheaper bills – with the UK’s financial standing keeping interest rates lower than they would be otherwise and energy bills up to £189 lower each year
- More jobs – hundreds of thousands of Scottish jobs are connected to borderless trade as part of the UK
- More support for public services – Scotland currently benefits from public spending per person that is around 10% higher than the UK average
- With less than 50 days to go until the referendum, the UK Government is ensuring people have as much information as possible to allow them to make an informed decision
For more information, the Scotland Analysis Programme has produced a number of detailed papers on key referendum issues be read
The leaflet also accompanies the UK Government’s YouDecide online tool which allows people in Scotland to explore how being part of the UK benefits their home, work and family life – www.youdecide2014.uk
The leaflets will cost around 12p each, with a total cost of around £300,000.
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said:
We are only weeks away from the most important decision we will ever make as a country. A decision to leave the UK is forever and cannot be reversed. We need to make sure we get it right. People in Scotland need to have the facts before they vote on September 18th.
With every passing week it becomes ever clearer the Scottish Government has not thought this through properly. They are blinded by their passion for independence. They have no plan on currency, no plan on pensions and no idea how much it would all cost.
People want credible and reliable information to help them make their decision on independence. Our new leaflet highlights the five main benefits for Scotland of remaining part of the UK.
We hold on to the pound. We keep bills lower as part of a larger UK. Public spending per person is ten per cent higher in Scotland than the UK average. Two-thirds of our trade is with the rest of the UK because we have no international border and that helps protect Scottish jobs.
We have a Scottish Parliament that makes decisions on things like health and education. From next year, the Scottish Parliament will be getting even more powers to set tax rates and decide if and when to borrow money. Devolution brings very clear benefits that would end with independence.