A NEW hub for innovative thinking on public policy will be launched this week at a leading Scottish university.

The Policy Scotland centre at Glasgow University will begin its work with a debate today on the currency policy scenarios that would confront an independent Scotland.

Dr Angus Armstrong, director of macro-economic research at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, and Professor Ronald MacDonald, Adam Smith chair of political economy at Glasgow University. will take part.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, the university principal, said: ""This is a critical time for public policy development given the current and important debates around constitutional change and I've no doubt Policy Scotland will have a tremendous contribution to make to these discussions."