No basis for suggesting that an independent Scotland could emulate Denmark

Mary Thomas had another of her frequent promotions of Scottish independence in The Scotsman Letters on 29 November, this time with an assertion that “given our natural assets, there is no logical reason why Scotland cannot emulate Denmark’s economic success” after independence.

According to the OECD, the United Kingdom’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person was US$ 39,626 and Denmark’s US$ 46,650 in 2018.

However, Denmark’s economic success can probably best be demonstrated by quoting the OECD’S GDP value added per capita per hour worked, as this gives more concise indication of innovation and productivity in the economy and the wealth of the nation.

Based on 2010 being 100, the values in 2006 were Denmark 98.4 and the United Kingdom 98.6, whereas for 2018 the values had gone up to Denmark 108.6 and UK 102.8, meaning the Danish productivity had grown by 10.36 per cent compared with the UK by 4.25 per cent.

Scotland’s indicators are roughly similar to the United Kingdom as a whole, so Scotland is lacking further behind during its governance despite the amount of control the government already has over economic development combined with a low business tax at 19 per cent compared with Denmark’s 22 per cent.

As the SNP has been in charge of the economy since accession to power in 2007, and this included control of economic levers such as Scottish Enterprise, there is no basis for suggesting that an independent Scotland can emulate Denmark even under independence, considering all the uncertainties around currency, borrowing ability, budget deficit and potential trade barriers with RUK and EU as well as the lack of global companies. There is also a culture issue and education.

As for applying Norwegian taxes to oil as suggested, it is as if Mary Thomas has forgotten about the recently declared “Climate Emergency” with a strong emphasis on removing fossil fuels from the economy ASAP. An effective ban on fracking is already in place. Placing high taxes on a rapidly diminishing resource does not seem like a recipe for success.

JOHN PETER Monks Road, Airdrie

The assertion by Gill Turner (Letters, 29 November) that an independent Scotland would be better protected by its own “modern defence capability” – such as in Scandinavian countries– than it would be by the UK military is quite ludicrous, and I suspect embarrassing to those countries whose very existence is owed to that same UK capability. Norway, for example, has a continuing close relationship with Dumfries because we sheltered part of its shattered army during World War II .

(DR )A MCCORMICK Kirkland Rd, Terregles, Dumfries