Salmond refuses to say if separate Scottish currency is option

But the First Minister - who came under fire over the SNP's currency plans from Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats - refused to answer her question.

Ms Lamont pressed him on the issue after Dennis Canavan, chairman of the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign, said he would prefer the country to have its own currency if it left the United Kingdom.

The Scottish Government hopes to establish a currency union with the rest of the UK if there is a Yes vote in next year's independence referendum, which would allow Scotland to retain the pound in a "sterling zone".

Mr Salmond insisted today that that policy "is in the interest of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom".

But earlier this week Mr Canavan, who was both a Labour MP and an independent MSP, told the BBC: "My preferred option is for Scotland to have its own currency because I think that would give us more flexibility, more freedom. It would give us a wider range of economic levers."

Ms Lamont said: "The people of Scotland deserve honesty and clarity.

"This isn't about the First Minister's bravado and gambling, this isn't about a smart soundbite for him.

"This is about people's jobs, their homes, their mortgages, their pensions, and their savings. So, for the sake of clarity, will the First Minister simply now rule out a separate Scottish currency?"

Economics experts in the Fiscal Commission Working Group, including Nobel prize winners, have already concluded that keeping sterling as the currency in an independent Scotland is ''sensible'' and an attractive choice for the rest of the UK.

Mr Salmond told his Labour rival: "We have put forward the Government's viewpoint, supported by more Nobel laureates than you can shake a stick at, supported by former members of the Monetary Policy Committee of Bank of England, that it would be in the interest of Scotland and the interest of the rest of the UK to share sterling."

The SNP leader also pointed out that both Chancellor George Osborne and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander had last week refused to rule out a currency union with an independent Scotland.

He said that was because they "know that the policy being put forward is in the interest of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom".

Ms Lamont said the First Minister had failed to answer her question.

"The fact of the matter is the First Minister is trying to break up Britain but the only thing breaking up are his arguments and his campaign," the Labour leader said.

Mr Salmond was pressed on the key issue of an independent Scotland's currency at First Minister's Questions in Holyrood.

The Nationalist leader hit out at Labour's stance on this, saying it was no different to the party's "negativity" in the last Holyrood election - where the SNP won an historic majority in the Scottish Parliament.

The First Minister said in that election campaign Labour had "rubbished and diminished everything about Scotland's potential".

He then claimed that was "exactly the attitude they have to the question of currency".

The First Minister insisted: "This is the country with the stronger budgetary position, this is the country with a surplus in the balance of trade.

"The idea that we are going to be beholden to a country with a worse fiscal position and a deficit in the balance of trade is simply quite incredible.

"But the negativity and the running Scotland down is exactly the reason why exactly two years ago the people of Scotland passed their verdict on the Labour Party, which is why they are sitting there in such diminished numbers in the opposition benches."

He spoke out after Ms Lamont had claimed the Scottish Government's currency plans had been "completely and utterly shredded" in recent days.

Last week the Chancellor said it was ''unlikely'' the rest of the UK would agree to a currency union with an independent Scotland.

But Mr Salmond told how former chancellor Alistair Darling - who leads the Better Together campaign aiming to keep Scotland in the UK - had said a currency union would be "desirable".

The First Minister told MSPs: "The Scottish Government has put forward the policy we believe is in the best interests of Scotland and indeed the rest of the UK.

"I suppose on the question of currency, with so many supporters advising that the policy advocated by the Scottish Government is correct, I would say on balance I agree with Alistair Darling, who on January 10 on Newsnight Scotland said 'Of course it would be desirable to have a currency union, of course a currency union is logical'.

"I agree on this subject with Alistair Darling."

Ms Lamont continued her attack on the First Minister - who earlier this week said he would bet "not just the house" but his "entire career on Scotland becoming an independent country".

The Labour leader hit out at the First Minister's "macho acclamation of his willingness to risk all".

However, she argued: "Isn't it the case that the First Minister's career and the First Minister's house won't matter?

"But what does matter is he is taking a gamble with everyone's house and everyone's plan with a currency plan he self-evidently hasn't thought through."

Mr Salmond hit back at his rival, telling Ms Lamont: "I think the big risk in Scottish politics is the risk to the Labour Party and the gamble they're taking in campaigning hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, with the Conservative Party in the Better Together campaign."