Scotching the myth, part two. Last week, The Herald published figures which showed that, contrary to beliefs held by politicians in England and sections of the London media, Scotland is not a country of subsidy junkies lolling around in relative comfort waiting for the latest handout from the put-upon English (and specifically metropolitan) taxpayer to spend profligately. Based on an assumption that revenues from all North Sea oil and gas production were channelled into Scotland's account, we reported it was conceivable that, in a good year, the Scottish budget could be balanced. So much for handouts.

Scotching the myth, part two. Last week, The Herald published figures which showed that, contrary to beliefs held by politicians in England and sections of the London media, Scotland is not a country of subsidy junkies lolling around in relative comfort waiting for the latest handout from the put-upon English (and specifically metropolitan) taxpayer to spend profligately. Based on an assumption that revenues from all North Sea oil and gas production were channelled into Scotland's account, we reported it was conceivable that, in a good year, the Scottish budget could be balanced. So much for handouts.

Our coverage struck a chord with readers, including many who are not independence-minded but who have been as offended as any SNP supporter by the mistaken notion that, without the generosity of the English, we would all be mired in some dreich, antediluvian backwater. Further evidence has emerged to swing another wrecking ball into the myth. According to research by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), published yesterday, Scots take home on average the fourth-biggest paypackets in Britain, behind London and the south-east and east of England.

The ONS reports that the average annual wage in Scotland is £22,958, significantly behind London but quite close to average salaries in the south-east and east. As every wage earner knows, there is a difference between the top line (gross pay) and the bottom one (net). The more a person earns, the more he or she pays in income tax and National Insurance to the government at Westminster. The figures suggest that Scotland comes much closer to holding its own within the British account than its detractors would give credit for. They are a reminder that taxes paid in Scotland contribute to services and entitlements across the UK - and abroad.

It is to be hoped that they will also serve to demonstrate that the debate about who gives what to whom, and who gets what in return, is a more complex and subtle matter than is allowed by those who view the figures as nothing more than feeding a narrow prejudice. A subtle approach recognises there are glaring disparities (in Scotland, in England and across Britain) that are best addressed by injecting dynamism into the economy. Boosting growth in Scotland, and improving employability and wage levels as a consequence, are one of the biggest challenges facing Alex Salmond's minority administration. A measured approach also recognises that the gender gap that persists on pay in Britain, to the entire country's shame, must be closed.