Security - summary leaflet
Published 13 March 2014
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Scotland: Security
The first duty of any state is the defence and protection of its citizens, territory and institutions.
Complex national security risks
All countries face complex national security risks, threats and hazards from many different sources. The UK’s security and intelligence agencies help protect us from these threats.
Independence would have profound consequences for the defence and security of an independent Scotland.
An independent Scotland would not be able to share the UK’s security and intelligence agencies
The UK’s security and intelligence agencies help protect the UK from threats. An independent Scotland could not share these agencies.
All parts of the UK work together to counter terrorism and espionage. Terrorism affects states across the world regardless of size. For example, in 2007 Glasgow Airport was subject to a terrorist attack, as was London in 2005.
The UK spends some £33 billion per year on defence and over £2 billion per year for the security and intelligence agencies and National Cyber Security Programme. An independent Scotland would have to build its own infrastructure. Costs would have to be met from within the Scottish Government’s proposed budget of £2.5 billion for both defence and security.
Global networks
Scotland in the UK has greater security and international influence through long-established global networks of relationships and alliances. British Intelligence are on record as working with over 200 partner services around the world and is a member of the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence sharing arrangement. An independent Scotland would not have automatic entry to these networks and relationships – it would have to build them over time.
An independent Scotland could not ‘share’ the UK’s security and intelligence agencies. The agencies would operate in the interests of the continuing UK. The UK could not share secret intelligence that had been passed to it by another country without the originator’s consent. Scotland is protected through UK-wide cooperation on justice and policing. Independence would make this international cooperation, which is not as easy.
Cross border issues
UK-wide laws allow for cross border pursuit of justice by enabling straightforward judicial and police cooperation. An arrest warrant issued in one part of the UK may be executed by the police without judicial intervention in another part. However, if Scotland became independent and successfully applied to join the EU then European Arrest Warrants (EAW) would apply. Under the EAW, 93 days was the average length of time it took to extradite somebody from the UK in 2010 where the person did not consent.
The UK works together to manage major public order events and provide mutual aid. Police officers from one part of the UK can operate in any other part. Police forces across the UK provided support the 2012 Olympic Games and stand ready to do so again for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Police officers in an independent Scotland and the continuing UK would not have powers to arrest and detain in each other’s jurisdictions. Scottish citizens and businesses enjoy greater resilience through UK-wide cyber security systems, and other protective security arrangements.
Cyber security
The UK benefits from a common approach to cyber security. Hostile attacks upon UK cyberspace by other states and large scale cyber crime is one of the highest risks to the UK. Cyber crime costs UK businesses billions of pounds per year. The UK invests £860m in a cyber security programme for the benefit of the whole UK, strengthening the services the public rely upon and enabling the UK to become a safer place for businesses to operate.