Finance Secretary John Swinney has asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for a meeting to discuss allowing Scotland to use oil revenues in order to move towards greater financial independence.

Finance Secretary John Swinney has asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for a meeting to discuss allowing Scotland to use oil revenues in order to move towards greater financial independence.

The request, which was approved by the Scottish Cabinet last week, was given a further boost at the weekend with the release of figures prepared by accountants Grant Thornton showing that Scotland would have a growing budget surplus because of the booming price of oil.

Alistair Darling's Budget based UK revenue forecasts on oil at around £42 ($83.80) a barrel but that has already soared to £61 ($120). Grant Thornton says this would produce a Scottish budget surplus of between £4.4bn and £6.2bn depending on Scotland's North Sea share on a range between 82.5% and 95%.

Mr Swinney said yesterday: "After generations of sending North Sea revenues to Westminster, it is vital Scotland has access to and benefits from our own resources. It cannot be right that we have fuel poverty and soaring road fuel prices amid this energy plenty.

"That is why I have written seeking talks on greater financial independence for Scotland, including a transfer of oil and gas resources to the Scottish Parliament, so that we can invest in Scotland's long-term economic interests."

Mr Swinney's letter to Mr Darling states: "Before the Budget I asked you to agree to a meeting between officials to discuss how we can move to a position of greater financial independence for Scotland.

"I would be grateful for your confirmation that you are content for such meetings to now take place.

"I also urged you to use your Budget statement to announce the transfer oil and gas revenues to Scotland.

"Such a change would mean that we could invest these revenues in the future success of Scotland after decades of unfortunate decisions by the UK Government that have seen oil revenues directed towards filling the black hole in Britain's finances rather than being invested in the sensible manner adopted elsewhere."