Statsmagic

Francis Roberts (Letters, 2 April) raises the question of whether the Union is one of "equals”. It would perhaps be more accurate to describe it as an “asymmetric” union. England has nine regions – according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – most of which are based roughly on ancient kingdoms (such as Wessex,merciaandnorthumbria) that pre-date the emergence of Alba (the prototype Scotland) in the 9th century.

Seven of those current English regions have larger populations (and therefore more taxpayers) than Scotland (only about half of whose population of 5.4 million are taxpayers). The three regions in south-east England have a combined population of almost 25 million (almost five times that of Scotland) and (containing “The City”) are, by far, the biggest contributors of tax to the UK Exchequer. Indeed, they are, according to the ONS, the only net contributors to the Treasury among the 12 regions and nations of the UK. That tax is spent for the benefit of all parts of the UK.

Dr Roberts points out that assets, such as embassies, are not owned by one part of the union. Very true – however, extracting Scotland from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and allocating a 9 per cent share of such far-flung embassies as Tonga, Turkmenistan and Ulaanbaator, might be tricky with, say, only a couple of locally recruited admin staff. Though what advantage Scotland gains from having a 9 per cent share of a service that it currently (as part of the UK) has 100 per cent access to is hard to fathom.

So perhaps not a union of statistical equals – but one that

Scotland still derives considerable benefit from.

PETER LEWIS Albert Terrace, Edinburgh