A NEW Scottish government paper on independence — its 14th in four years — has claimed the move might make households more than £10,000 better off.

The new white paper, published today, builds on 13 earlier papers where civil servants acting under the direction of ministers speculated on issues ranging from immigration, to currency, and EU membership.

It looks to recent Resolution Foundation analysis, calculating UK households would be £8,300 better off if average income and inequality was the same as similar-sized states.

Applying that same methodology to Scotland, the new Fresh Start With Independence paper argues the figure could be as high as £10,200, but added: “That does not mean Scottish households would instantly be more than £10,000 richer each year if Scotland was a nation state, or even that we would be as successful just by being independent.”

Speaking at Edinburgh’s National Portrait Gallery, First Minister John Swinney said the paper set out “the benefits of self-government, the huge potential that is all around us, the evidence that independence for countries like Scotland leads to higher living standards and greater equality.”

Asked afterwards if tax would have to change to achieve those benefits, he said: “My best guess is that I don’t believe there needs to be a change to the current profile of income tax in Scotland.”

Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra responded: “John Swinney should be embarrassed at these baseless claims which are entirely detached from reality.

“They should be focusing on the very real issues facing our country such as on housing, health, and education, which have been abjectly neglected.”