More mythology

Leah Gunn Barrett has produced another of her letters (‘Debunked study’, 12 March) hailing the great economic benefits of Scotland attaining independence without producing any back-up quantitative information.

As an example she asserts that the LSE students in their recent study fabricate data because Scotland doesn’t collect detailed statistics on its external trade etc.

In fact, there is plenty of data available on trade between states, which is not fictional although it is true that some of the data going into the assessment of trade between the four nations constituting the UK is not as totally reliable.

Nevertheless, the available information is good enough to assess the claim made that “As the disasters of Brexit unfold, England will need trade with Scotland more than ever”.

The information available from several sources including the Scottish government indicates that the reverse is true.

RUK external exports (excluding Scotland) in 2018 were £587 billion. Scottish exports (excluding RUK) were £34 billion. RUK exports to Scotland were £58.5billion or 8.72% of RUK total exports. Meanwhile Scottish exports to RUK were £51.2 billion or 150% of Scotland’s total exports to countries outside RUK.

The SNP has decided to follow EU regulations. So Scotland outside RUK and EU free trade agreements would find itself having to trade with all countries on WTO terms.

Additionally it would not have a team experienced in negotiating agreements as is the case with both RUK and EU. It would have no overseas representation and either have to use the pound with no control over monetary policy or have a nascent national bank with no adequate resources to back up the currency.

JOHN PETER Monks Road, Airdrie