Finance Minister John Swinney: Scottish Independence Will Secure Prosperity in 2014 and Beyond

Scottish independence will secure prosperity from 2014 and beyond if the country votes yes in the referendum, said the Scottish government's finance minister.

The State of the Economy report, written by the chief economist to the Scottish government, is reason to be optimistic about the economic prospects for Scotland next year, and supports the case for independence, said Swinney.

"As 'Scotland's Future' outlines, it is only with the full powers of independence that we can build a wealthier, fairer and economically sustainable Scotland ensuring that everyone benefits from our natural wealth and talent," he said.

The report, written by Dr Gary Gillespie, predicts continual progress in Scotland's economic recovery in 2014 having seen growth continue through 2013.

The report said that on an annual basis, output in Scotland rose by 1.8% in the second quarter of 2013 as the Scottish economy experienced four positive quarters of growth. The level of output is back within re-recession range - 1.4% below its pre-recession peak.

Swinney said: "The report highlights how recent GDP and labour market statistics show the Scottish economy continuing to grow with employment levels up by 83,000 over the year.

"December's labour market statistics also showed that Scotland has a higher employment rate, lower unemployment rate and lower inactivity rate than England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

"There will still be challenges for firms in specific industries and for some households as the recovery progresses.

"There will be no let-up in the Scottish Government's commitment to securing economic growth, which is why in this spending review period we are investing £10 billion in capital projects, building homes, schools and facilities to support the economy," he said.