WESTMINSTER'S scrutiny of the implications of Scottish independence will intensify after the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee announced yesterday it will be launching an inquiry – as revealed by The Herald in February.

This means that not only has the Scottish Affairs Committee begun an investigation into the consequences of what it calls "separation" together with the Energy Committee and Defence Committee and now the influential Foreign Affairs Committee, but so too has the House of Lords Economic Committee.

However, the scrutiny will not end there as it is understood the powerful Commons Treasury Committee will launch another probe into the implications of Scottish independence early next year.

Yesterday, the Foreign Affairs Committee set out its remit on the "extent to which Scottish separation may have an impact, if at all, both in the short and long term, on the UK's and Scotland's future".

Areas that will be covered include:

l International standing, influence and foreign policy priorities.

l Membership of and standing in key international bodies, including Nato.

l Relations with key bilateral allies, notably the US, particularly in relation to security, intelligence and nuclear co-operation but also with individual EU member states and emerging powers.

It will also look at whether independence could affect the operations and organisation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and in particular its diplomatic infrastructure and representation as well as the shape and scope of a Scottish foreign policy. The inquiry is due to get underway in October.