LEGISLATION should be drawn up now to ensure work can begin on setting up the Scottish Central Bank the day after independence, the SNP conference will hear next week.
A resolution being put forward at the online gathering has called for the drafting of a Scottish Reserve Bank Establishment Bill.
It notes that the plan of the SNP Government is to be ready to introduce a Scottish currency “as soon as practicable” after independence day. It says that in anticipation of a vote for independence, an enabling bill for the establishment of a Scottish Central Bank should be drafted.
An amendment has also been put forward calling for a National Assembly to be held in the next year to decide on how the new financial institution will operate.
READ MORE: SNP must seize on chance to address currency in an independent Scotland
The SNP’s annual national conference is taking place online from November 26 to 39 and is expected to be the party’s biggest event of the year. Among the issues which will be discussed include a call for Scotland’s councillors to be given a substantial pay rise. Another motion focuses on the creation of new civil service jobs after independence and how they will be dispersed across the country.
Tim Rideout, convenor of the Scottish Currency group, who will be proposing the resolution on the Scottish Central Bank on Sunday, said: “This is really just trying to move things on from 2019, that said we should have our own currency as soon as possible.
“If you are going to do that – I have been told it takes about four years to get a central bank up and running – so we need to be starting to think about that and get organised.
“One of the things you need to do is to have the legislation ready, which you can’t do anything with until after the vote for independence – but at least you can then introduce it at Holyrood the next day.
“It doesn’t mean you can’t be commissioning banknotes and so on in the meantime, but one of the steps is the legislation.”
He added: “It also has a political purpose in that it is a demonstration we are committed to have our currency
“I think the delegates would overwhelmingly support this resolution, but we will have to see on the day.”
The resolution, which is being out forward by a number of branches and is backed by MSP Colin Beattie, states: “Conference notes its resolution of April 2019 that an SNP Government be ready to introduce a Scottish currency as soon as practicable after Independence Day.
“Conference agrees that in anticipation of a vote for independence an enabling Bill for the establishment of a Scottish Central Bank now be drafted.”
The amendment says an addition to the final sentence should be “using a process decided by a National Assembly on the regulation, culture, and practice of banking, to be held in time to report to the next National Conference”.
It adds: “Conference expects that National Assembly to establish how to put into effect the principles that: there shall be a Scottish Central Bank, wholly owned by the Scottish Treasury; which will supervise financial institutions, and the payments systems; act as the monetary authority; and provide banking services to the Scottish Government; and so to reassure voters that Scotland’s monetary system will draw upon the most effective practices already being applied in independent countries.”
Another resolution on the final agenda for the conference suggests salaries for councillors should increase from £18,604 to the Scottish median of £25,616.
It states local authority members “fulfil an essential role in the governance of our nation and that they ought to be treated with parity of esteem to parliamentarians”, but stops short at saying they should be paid the same as MSPs or MPs.
ANOTHER motion says the Scottish Government will require a major staff expansion after independence, with the creation of around 35,000 jobs.
READ MORE: Scottish Sovereignty Research Group gives answers on Scottish independence
It goes on to says that “to ensure that all areas of Scotland get a fair share of the benefits of independence then conference proposes that an SNP Scottish Government should ensure that all core civil service jobs are distributed across the 32 council areas in proportion to the populations of those areas” including that of the head offices of the various new ministries and the civil service chief’s office.
However, a motion calling for a frictionless border between an independent Scotland and England which appeared on the draft agenda has been dropped.
One of the backers of the resolution, MSP Emma Harper, said it had been decided to postpone the debate until the SNP’s spring conference next year in order to amend the text.
She added this would “allow more time to engage with SNP members across South Scotland” and to ensure a “robust debate” can be held on
border arrangements.
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