The SNP and the UK Government have clashed over new figures which show that public spending per head in Scotland is £1364 higher than the UK average.
The Coalition said the statistics demonstrated Scots' "real financial benefit" being part of the UK.
But the SNP said the figures showed a "distorted picture" of economic reality.
Last year, average spending per head totalled £10,152 in Scotland compared with £8788 across the UK.
In England that figure was £8529 and in Wales £9709.
The highest spend head was in Northern Ireland where the figure was £10,876.
Danny Alexander, the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "These figures demonstrate that the people of Scotland continue to see a real financial benefit of more than £1300 per person compared to the UK.
"The UK remains the most successful economic and political union in history, and Scotland is one of its greatest success stories. It makes no sense to put this at risk through separation."
The SNP said the figures did not show the whole story.
SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing described them as a "distorted picture of Scotland's finances".
"Over the five years to 2011/12, Scotland has been financially stronger than the UK as a whole to the tune of £12.6 billion," she said, adding that Scotland had proved it could "more than afford to be a successful independent country".
A spokesman for Better Together said: "These figures underline the fact we have the best of both worlds here in Scotland."
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