THE pro-UK Better Together campaign must set out in detail what a No vote in the independence referendum would mean for Scotland, according to Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The Scottish Government has provided a case for independence in its Scotland's Future White Paper, and Unionists must respond with a competing vision, Ms Sturgeon will say in a speech at St Andrews University today.

The speech has been described as the curtain-raiser to the 2014 independence campaign as the referendum approaches on September 18.

Speaking ahead of the St Andrews address, Ms Sturgeon said: "The referendum is not a choice between change and no change. It is about choosing the kind of change we want for Scotland and who we want to be in the driving seat of it - ourselves, or Westminster. It is a choice between two futures. That means the consequences of both a Yes vote and No vote need to be considered carefully. And that means both the Yes and the No campaigns have an obligation to inform.

"Those of us on the Yes side take that responsibility seriously. In November, the Scottish Government published the independence White Paper, Scotland's Future, setting out the practicalities and opportunities of what will happen if Scotland votes Yes.

"But to make an informed choice, you also need to know what a No vote will mean for Scotland. It is time for the No campaign to spell that out in detail to allow you to compare and contrast the competing visions for the future of Scotland and make your own minds up."