Ed Davey, UK's Energy Secretary, said that he could not guarantee the rest of the UK would continue subsidising Scottish renewables as set out in the White Paper.

Last night Labour accused the SNP of putting Scotland's renewables potential 'at risk'.

The paper said that after independence it would be "reasonable" for there to be a "system of shared support for renewables and capital costs of transmission among consumers in Scotland and the rest of the UK".

In the House of Commons Mr Davey said: "Should Scotland decide to vote for independence there would have to be a negotiation and we cannot prejudge that negotiation."

He also accused the paper of a "lack of detail on some key, key elements".