Agreement between the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government on a referendum on independence for Scotland (THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT-RIAGHALTAS NA H-ALBA), EDINBURGH 15-10-2012

Agreement between the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government on a referendum on independence for Scotland Edinburgh, 15 October 2012 The United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government have agreed to work together to ensure that a referendum on Scottish independence can take place. The governments are agreed that the referendum should: have a clear legal base be legislated for by the Scottish Parliament be conducted so as to command the confidence of parliaments, governments and people deliver a fair test and a decisive expression of the views of people in Scotland and a result that everyone will respect The governments have agreed to promote an Order in Council under Section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 in the United Kingdom and Scottish Parliaments to allow a single-question referendum on Scottish independence to be held before the end of 2014. The Order will put it beyond doubt that the Scottish Parliament can legislate for that referendum. It will then be for the Scottish Government to promote legislation in the Scottish Parliament for a referendum on independence. The governments are agreed that the referendum should meet the highest standards of fairness, transparency and propriety, informed by consultation and independent expert advice. The referendum legislation will set out: the date of the referendum the franchise the wording of the question rules on campaign financing other rules for the conduct of the referendum The details of the agreement between the governments are set out in the following memorandum and draft Order, which form part of this agreement. _________________________ The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP Prime Minister _________________________ The Rt. Hon. Alex Salmond MSP First Minister of Scotland _________________________ The Rt. Hon. Michael Moore MP Secretary of State for Scotland ________________________ Nicola Sturgeon MSP Deputy First Minister of Scotland