to wonder how Scotland's decision will affect england?

[LEMmingaround]

Just that really? If they do go their ownway how will it affect england?

Also will it open a can of worms with wales and northern Ireland?

The oil companies pay the decommissioning costs (work in the industry).

Sally - no - not my field - but assumptions are they would fall to both the extractor and government.

OddBoots I would be very surprised if they'd managed to keep the discovery of a huge new oil field secret, all all seriousness hundreds of people would have been involved in one capacity or other in finding it, checking it's extent, testing whether it can be produced. Yes the project would be 'confidential' but if it was that major there would be gossip, these people chat with their mates in the pub sometimes they have too many beers or they leave a document around that they shouldn't. I would be seriously impressed if they could keep a major find sufficiently quiet that the press hadn't got hold of it.

This news also doesn't suggest that every company is having massive success in the North Sea... news.stv.tv/north/285613-energy-giant-shell-announces-250-job-cuts-at-aberdeen-offices/

I'm not sure how the decommissioning works, I'm pretty sure it's not as simple as oil companies own it, they pay for decommissioning it. I think there are currently tax offsets or something for some amount of the decommissioning costs. No idea how that would work in iScotland - Odd probably knows more.

Oops - Sorry Odd crossposted!

The oil companies pay the decommissioning costs
I heard that the contracts allow decommissioning to be set against tax, and that several billions are involved to remove everything without pollution. If that is so then it would be a big loss for whichever government is in charge at the time.

decommissioning is an operating cost, like pay which can be offset against tax. If i am right, as it is removing a decontaminant - you can qualify for land remediation tax relief on allowable opex expenditure at 150%

so 1.5 tax relief for decommissioning - an incentive to clean up after yerself.

One thing I've wondered is how things that are not in the Barnett formula will be accounted for - things that could involve subsidy in either direction. The example I know of are Post Offices. There is a UK wide subsidy that's not split by country but I know Scotland gets some spending there from general taxation, not counted in Barnett formula. It's a small example in real terms, but I wondered what else there is like that and how much it adds up to (in either direction)

Sorry - should have said that Scotland gets bigger % of subsidy because it's more rural.

Can't believe it fishewife. I've already explained the Irish bailout to you, two days ago, and here you are today with the same (thinly veiled this time but MORE insulting and still wrong) comment!!

Forgot about the Royal Mail, would a privitised Royal Mail have an obligation to deliver to all Scottish homes for the same price?

I think it would at the moment because of the universal service obligation.

Odd Commentator- any information which may be useful to this debate is overshadowed by the fact that you come across as an absolute dick.
So offensive, such a horrible way to put your message across and you'd be an amazing asset to the Yes campaign.

I have learned so much from these posts - particularly oddcommentator

Is is sad that there is quite a lot of bitterness on both sides - but divorce talks are rarely 100% friendly.

I feel the same about Scotland wanting to leave the Union as if my DH said he wanted a divorce, but wanted to keep using a joint bank account...

So offensive, such a horrible way to put your message across

I agree with the above Clara. I respect everyone's viewpoint, Yes or No, but being offensive is not on. I stopped reading comments from this poster after the first couple.

. This campaign has been disrespectful, I know I cringed when the Scots were offered free fish and chips to stay, and it seems a shame that it may well end so abruptly, yes, maybe like an acrimonious split actually. 'If you want to go, there's the door, fuck off' is not the most mature offer for Cameron to put on the table. It could have been handled in a more respectful manner considering all the years of shared history

Gatorade - thank you. That is pretty much the most respectful and empathetic point I've read on this thread.

To those of you espousing pathetic, bigoted stereotypes about the Scots - especially when some of you can't even spell 'Scots' or 'Salmond,' how about you fuck the fuck up and consider why the the image of the racist Little Englander has endured.

To those of you who think watching Scotland fail in the event of a Yes vote will be really rather funny, old thing, how would you feel if the situation were reversed? These are people's lives you're chortling at.

Corey People who are deciding that more socialism and Salmond is the answer to all ills - basic political history and economics should be compulsary in schools so people can learn that every left of centre/socialist government in the world fails to deliver the benefits they promise and make everyone worse off. The richest and best off 'poor' people in the world live in countries with right of centre governments - they are better for the poor.

That's a shame Numanoid. I'm finding odd's posts absolutely fascinating

I wonder if the timing of the redundancies by a couple of the oil companies in Aberdeen has anything to do with the referendum? Some sort of warning? Or am I being paranoid (probably!)!

I do think thought its worth remembering that Northern Ireland is pretty close to Scotland and is the only Northern European country to have had an enduring violent civil war in recent years. Scotland has thankfully avoided that but this is the second referendum in recent times.

Bearing that in mind, what sort of country would an independent Scotland run by a strict socialist government, comprised of a likely majority of its citizens who did not vote for it to come into existence, sharing the currency of its neighbour, whose much larger population of 65 million are against it?

Why are we even wasting time over stuff like this when we could be striving to make this part of the UK a better place to live in? With all the many devolved powers the Scottish Parliament now has to supposedly make this happen?

I take full responsibility for any spelling errors and if people find those offensive I apologise.

However, the pointing out of serious and significant failings of the no campaign is truly beyond parody. If i have to use terms people may find offensive to get my point across then I will live with that.

The truths are extraordinarily harsh - and sometimes that requires harsh and offensive statements to get the message home. If you are offended - I will live with it, this is teh internetz and this is a forum.

The points i make are no less valid - but if it makes people feel better I can always go and amend them.

I wonder if the timing of the redundancies by a couple of the oil companies in Aberdeen has anything to do with the referendum? Some sort of warning? Or am I being paranoid (probably!)!

No, I agree with you. I really believe that there is a connection.

caroldecker I don't think an independent Scotland would principally be a Socialist set-up.
I mean, how far are we talking? Social ownership? A full-on Marxist-Leninist state?
I only wonder as I wrote my thesis the impact of Socialism and Communism on certain countries, and how it affects a society (which was painstaking - gender roles and all sorts eventually get involved!) I don't see Scotland going that way, I really don't.
It is true that Communism doesn't seem to work out, parts of Socialism, if and power is not abused, will work. I think Socialism is a good concept, but for example, do not support the SSP.

I wonder if the timing of the redundancies by a couple of the oil companies in Aberdeen has anything to do with the referendum?

If so, what sort of message are they intended to give? For or against independence?

Since the SNP base their financial independence upon future income from oil, I think it would be as well to find out what their issue is.

I think its impossible to predict Numanoid. I think the current Scottish State has tendencies in common with former Eastern European socialist states in terms of ideology. In fact I find Scottish politics very dominated by ideology. I cannot believe a lot of the left wing stuff I read and hear at times, and there is a lot of it. I used to work in local government, and some of the west of Scotland councils representatives would come out with stuff like wanting to ban the ownership of private property and so on.

Some of the legislation passed by the Scottish government is dubious. The child guardian scheme, compulsory purchase rights of agricultural tenants, community compulsory buy outs, very strict controls on rented property, etc. and you can only assume there will be more in that vein, particularly because (a) hardly anyone can afford to take a case to the International Court of Human Rights and (b) an independent Scotland would not be a signatory of the ICHR but would have its "own version" (according to the White Paper) until it managed to sign up.

Theres also a creeping tendency to license every activity and type of business, except those dominated by men I've noticed.

I think all this independence stuff is driving me slightly mad. I wish it would all go away, and I could live in a normal country.

Whatever way the vote goes, I do wonder how some communities will move on after next month, as there appears to be some real bitterness between certain yes and no sides. Will there be lasting damage to communities unhappy with the result? Has there been damage done already where none existed before, even between family and friends? Whether things go well or wrong in the future under a UK or an iScottish government, will there be that undercurrent of resentment with those that have been 'open' with their political leanings during the campaign?
A poll today says 54% no, 41% yes (I know this changes by the day and isn't reliable) so either way, that is a lot of people going to be upset one way or the other. It isn't like it is a general election that you only have to live with for 5 years, it could be lifelong, or another 40 years or so till the next referendum if the result is no. Seems whatever the outcome, it could come at quite a price for some community relationships.

'If you want to go, there's the door, fuck off' is not the most mature offer for Cameron to put on the table

That is a gross misinterpretation of anything Cameron said.

I'm not sure what Odd said that is causing such offence unless pointing out economic reality is offensive.