Parliamant, Legislation and Public Sector

Scotland’s transition plans published

A Saltire to illustrate Scottish independence story in your Expert WitnessA paper outlining the process of Scotland’s transition to an independent country, should next year’s referendum go in favour of independence, has been published by its Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The paper, Scotland’s Future: from the referendum to independence and a written constitution, outlines a timetable for transition, with ‘independence day’ scheduled for March 2016, immediately ahead of the May 2016 Scottish parliament election. That, said the government, is in line with international precedent: of the 30 countries around the world that have become independent since 1945 following a referendum, the average length of time between the referendum and independence has been around 15 months.

Its publication comes just days after the Electoral Commission called on both sides of the campaign to set out the process following the referendum.

The paper sets out plans for:
• An orderly and co-operative transition process between 2014 and 2016
• The constitutional platform for an independent Scotland
• Representatives of other parties and wider ‘civic Scotland’ to be invited to join the Scottish Government in negotiating and agreeing the independence settlement
• A written constitution, drafted by a new constitutional convention for Scotland, involving the people of Scotland and a wide range of interests from across Scotland’s institutions and civic society.

Ms Sturgeon called on the UK Government to adhere to the Electoral Commission’s recommendations by agreeing to early discussions about how Scotland will move forward following the referendum, with this publication providing a solid basis for those discussions.

She said: “An independent Scotland is not an end in itself; rather it offers us an opportunity to build the kind of country we all want to see: an outward-looking, prosperous and successful nation that reflects the values of fairness, enterprise and opportunity.

“Next year’s referendum will allow the people of Scotland to seize that opportunity – and a ‘Yes’ vote will give civic Scotland and our national Parliament an unprecedented opportunity to build a solid constitutional platform for our country ahead of independence day in March 2016.

“Today’s paper provides the people of Scotland with a clear road map as to how Scotland would make the journey from a devolved system of government with the levers of power retained at Westminster, to a nation in which the powers of our national Parliament are complete and in which the people are sovereign.

“The Electoral Commission has called on both sides of the independence debate to provide more information to the people of Scotland and work together to discuss what will happen in the wake of the referendum.  I agree with the Electoral Commission, which is why I have now written to the UK Government again urging them to agree to such discussions.

“The negotiations that led to the historic Edinburgh Agreement were conducted fairly, with respect and in the spirit of co-operation necessary to do the best by the people of Scotland and the rest of the UK. There is no reason that talks on the process required to make Scotland an independent country – if the people of Scotland make that choice – cannot begin now and be conducted in the same constructive and co-operative manner that would lead to a smooth transition.”