The correspondence on your Letters Pages about the state of the UK economy has been very interesting.

Better Together talks about Scotland being safer within the strong UK economy.

However, the facts show the opposite is true. The UK economy is almost on its knees. Despite "austerity measures" put in place by the Coalition Government, the UK national debt has continued to rise even faster. The coalition inherited a national debt of about £700 billion. At present, it is more than £1 trillion and rising. This is the black hole into which Scotland's oil wealth has been poured since the 1970s.

A paper by Professor Brian Ashcroft of the Fraser of Allander Institute stated that, had Scotland been independent for the past 32 years, we would have had a surplus of £68bn.

Assuming a modest interest rate, an oil fund would have taken it closer to £100bn. It is not in the same league as Norway's sovereign wealth fund. However, it would have been a great nest egg.

Only Ireland and Japan have greater debts than the UK as a percentage of GDP. In Ireland it is six-and-a-half times GDP. In Japan it is five times GDP. In Europe, the countries we think of as almost bankrupt have much lower percentages of debt than the UK.

Scotland's share of UK national debt would probably be about £80bn to £100bn. It is obviously up for negotiation.

However, our national debt would be below our GDP of about £151bn (from the 2012 Gers report). In addition, Scotland would be entitled to its share of the UK assets. Some we might choose to sell off, for example our share of some of the more exotic embassies, the British Library, The Victoria and Albert Museum and The British Library, to name a few. By doing so we would be able to pay down our national debt.

Both the UK and Scotland spend more than they take in taxes. The UK deficit is 7.9% of GDP. Scotland's deficit is only 5% of GDP. Last year, Scotland's deficit of £7.6bn was in large part due to the £4.1bn charged for this country's share of interest payments on UK national debt.

There is a surge of investment in the North Sea. The UK Oil and Gas Association expects investment to be about £100bn. This will produce more oil and gas as new fields are exploited using improved technology. That is more good news for Scotland and a Scottish finance minister.

In addition, economic policies designed for Scotland, within Scotland (not for the south-east of England) would ensure the Scottish economy would thrive after independence. The sooner Scotland escapes from the UK, the better. The UK is a burden holding back Scotland's development.

Donald Maclean,

Pavilion 3, Finnieston Business Park, Minerva Way, Glasgow.

The United Kingdom is probably the most successful union in history. The island we share has made a huge contribution to democracy, technology, art, law, and civilisation generally across the world. This was achieved as a United Kingdom; a land where people from every part have the same rights.

My father was Scottish, my wife is English of Scottish descent, my two sons were born in England, my daughter was born in Glasgow. Two of my grandchildren are Scottish and four are English; all are British.

I am proud to be British and I am proud of my Scottish forebears and connections so what is wrong with being British and part of such a successful Union that shares an island which has achieved so much in common purpose?

Alan Thompson,

15, Front Street,

Newbiggin by the Sea.

Rachel Homes writes that "there are inevitably other questions surrounding private provision of pensions, defined benefit and occupational schemes; the same questions facing every country, including the UK." (Agenda, September 25).

One question unique to us is what happens to cross-border occupational pension schemes? Under EU law, if we go our separate ways, these have to be fully funded, which would cost billions of pounds and could put the pensions of hard working Scots at risk. This is not a challenge faced by every country but it would come about as a direct result of independence.

There needs to be some honesty in the independence debate.

Dr Jackie MacDonald,

61 School Road, Kintore.

Along with questions about pensions, defence, the currency and so on there's the important question of what will happen to the iPlayer in an independent Scotland. I ask because I missed the opening episode of Downton Abbey (sad, I know) and decided I would watch it on the ITV catch-up player I have on my television.

However, to my dismay I discovered this was not possible because Downton Abbey is transmitted in Scotland by STV and the ITV player does not show STV transmissions.

This set me thinking about what would happen to the BBC's iPlayer and Channel 4's 4OD post independence. Would they too be split between Scottish and the rest of the UK (rUK) transmissions, with the former inaccessible on existing apps?

Instead of our favourite programmes will be forced to watch endless showings of the Mike Russell video where he exhorts graduating further education college students to vote SNP, interspersed with the "freedom" speech by Mel Gibson from Braveheart? Or will those of us with smart televisions have to spend at least half of our £500 bounty from becoming independent on new, specifically Scottish televisions? I feel we need answers to these critical questions about independence.

Judith Gillespie,

40 Findhorn Place, Edinburgh.