FINANCE Secretary John Swinney is expected to be quizzed over the SNP's plans for pensions under independence this week, amid rising criticism over the Scottish Government's apparent lack of foresight on the issue.

Swinney, right, will be a keynote speaker at a pensions conference held by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS) on Tuesday.

In April an ICAS report warned independence would have significant consequences for defined benefit, or final salary, schemes operating in Scotland and the rest of the UK. EU rules forbid the schemes from running a deficit if they operate across borders.

If Scotland were independent, the Scottish Government would either have to seek a period of grace from Brussels, or the schemes would have to be split into Scottish and English versions, or, in the worst case, companies could be forced to top up schemes immediately, something which ultimately could bankrupt them.

After Alex Salmond told parliament all three ICAS options would be considered – including the worst-case scenario – opposition parties concluded he had been blindsided on the issue.

Last week the National Pensioners' Convention called for clarity on the operation of pension schemes, including the state pension, ahead of the independence referendum.

This followed the SNP Government's Expert Working Group on Welfare saying there were serious risks to the continuity of benefits if Scotland tried to set up its own welfare system in the event of a Yes vote.

In response, SNP ministers said they would share the UK system for a transition period, but also said they would abolish the so-called bedroom tax in the first year of independence.

Releasing recent correspondence between the Community trade union and Swinney which showed the trade union's anxiety about pension protection, Blair McDougall, chief executive of the pro-UK Better Together campaign, said the SNP lacked all credibility on the issue.

"Unions, pensioners and experts all say that breaking up Britain would have a profound impact on the pensions of people in Scotland.

"It's not good enough for John Swinney to expect pensioners to take his word for it that everything will be all right on the night."

A government spokesman said: "Pensions will be fully protected in an independent Scotland, including state, public and private pensions. "The Scottish Government will shortly issue detailed proposals setting out how pensions will operate following independence.".