Referendum Bill
The Scottish Government will bring forward a Referendum Bill in 2010 to give the people of Scotland the opportunity to have their say on the constitutional future of Scotland in a referendum.
The Referendum Bill will provide the framework for the conduct and mechanics of a fair and democratic referendum. The Parliament will have its say and ultimately decide on all of the issues, including the question.
The Scottish Government has made clear its position that the people of Scotland should have the right to express their opinion in a referendum. The current economic climate reinforces the Scottish Government's conviction that only independence can provide the flexibility to respond in Scotland's best interests to these challenging economic circumstances.
The Scottish Government raised from the start the possibility of multi-option referendums, and has made it clear that it is open to the possibility of the fiscal proposals in Calman being on the referendum ballot.
The Referendum Bill will be accompanied by a detailed Financial Memorandum, which will set out the anticipated costs of the referendum.
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