Defence Implications of Possible Scottish Independence

The Committee are particularly interested in:

• The current contribution of Scotland to the overall defence of the United Kingdom in terms not only of specific items but of shared facilities and goals;
• the implications for that defence should Scotland become independent, including those for personnel currently serving in the Armed Forces;
• the means and timescale of any necessary separation; whether and how any defence shortfall might be made good;
• the extent to which, and circumstances in which, an independent Scotland might continue to contribute to defence goals shared with other parts of these islands and other countries;
• the possible shape and size and role of Scottish defence forces following independence.
The Committee expects to hold the first oral evidence session for this inquiry before the end of July 2012. and further evidence sessions are expected to take place periodically during the present session leading to a Report in 2013. The Committee would welcome written evidence to this inquiry which should be sent to the Clerk of the Defence Committee by Friday 20 July.

Submission of written evidence should:

• If possible, be provided electronically in MS Word or Rich Text format by e-mail to defcom@parliament.uk.  If submitted by e-mail or e-mail attachment, a letter should also be sent validating the e-mail. The letterhead should contain your full postal address and contact details. If you have any queries on the submission of evidence contact Karen Jackson, Audit Adviser, tel: 0207 219 6168, email: jacksonka@parliament.uk.
• Begin with a one page summary if it is longer than six pages 
•  Have numbered paragraphs
• Avoid the use of colour or expensive-to-print material.
  Submissions can also be sent by post to Defence Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

Individuals and organisations interested in submitting written evidence to the Committee may find the Commons: Guide for Witnesses particularly useful.

Please also note that:

• Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within written evidence, in which case a hard copy of the published work should be included. If a number of published documents are sent to accompany written evidence, these should be listed in the covering email.
• Written evidence submitted must be kept confidential until published by the Committee, unless publication by the person or organization submitting it is specifically authorised.
• Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or by making it available through the Parliamentary Archives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
• It would be helpful, for Data Protection purposes, if individuals wishing to submit written evidence send their contact details separately in a covering letter. You should be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Select Committees are unable to investigate individual cases.

Further information

Committee Membership is as follows: 

Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP (Conservative, North East Hampshire) (Chair), Mr Julian Brazier MP, (Conservative, Canterbury), Thomas Docherty MP (Labour, Dunfermline and West Fife), Rt Hon Jeffrey M. Donaldson MP (Democratic Unionist, Lagan Valley), John Glen MP (Conservative, Salisbury), Mr Dai Havard MP (Labour, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney), Mrs Madeleine Moon MP (Labour, Bridgend), Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative, Portsmouth North), Sandra Osborne MP (Labour, Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock), Sir Bob Russell MP, (Liberal Democrat, Colchester), Bob Stewart MP (Conservative, Beckenham), Ms Gisela Stuart MP (Labour, Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Specific Committee Information: defcom@parliament.uk  020 7219 5745

Media Enquiries: Alex Paterson patersona@parliament.uk  020 7219 1589 / 07917 488 488

Committee Website: www.parliament.uk/defcom
 
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Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474).  Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on www.parliament.uk