---

Scotland and the Union

I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for his intervention. One word would characterise the nationalists’ approach: dishonesty. They have also invented an oil fund surplus that cannot exist. That is why they say that they will not update their figures until July, weeks after the election. The figures are not small or incidental for a country such as ours. The £2 billion oil gap alone is the equivalent of the entire budget for universities and colleges. However, despite being billions of pounds out on oil and with less money to spend, the nationalists keep adding to their tax and spending commitments day by day, thereby creating a black hole for every year of a first-term Administration, and before we add the costs of independence. New SNP spending commitments would cost an average of at least £2 billion each year, equating to a massive £8 billion over the four years of a term of office. Those commitments include tax and spending promises on pre-school education, free school meals, micro renewable generators for homes, higher education, the first time buyers grant, housing debt, farming, international aid, the Edinburgh festival Expo fund, local income tax and freezing council tax.