12. Specific Sectors

Fully expanded questions with short, reality-based answers. These positions reflect the priorities of stronger, more tailored support for farming and crofting with a clear “buy local” focus; full control of fisheries managed for sustainability, fleet viability and community benefit; active protection and promotion of whisky and food & drink; a serious strategic overhaul of tourism toward higher-value, more sustainable outcomes; a full public transport overhaul under complete Scottish control; protection and growth of shipbuilding and engineering as a national industrial asset; abolition of BBC Scotland as currently constituted and its replacement by a Scottish-accountable public service broadcasting arrangement; stable support for arts, culture, heritage and languages with strengthened practical status for Gaelic and Scots; and full international sporting representation under the Scottish flag built on continued domestic structures. All answers are achievable under the wider framework of fiscal rules, non-EU status, sterling continuity and practical cross-border cooperation.

These sector positions turn independence into practical advantage: more relevant support for farming and fishing, serious strategies for tourism and transport, protection of industrial strengths, and cultural and sporting institutions that answer to Scotland. The approach is deliberately delivery-focused rather than symbolic.

The sequence is deliberate. Farming and crofting would receive stronger, more tailored support under full Scottish control of agricultural policy and funding, with priorities shifted toward food security, environmental outcomes and a clear “buy local, support local” approach in public procurement; direct support, less bureaucracy and better alignment with Scottish conditions (including crofting tenure and remote areas) would replace the current constrained system. Scotland would have full control of fisheries management within its waters, prioritising long-term stock sustainability, the viability of the Scottish fleet (especially smaller and coastal vessels) and the retention of economic benefit in Scottish communities; access arrangements with other countries would be negotiated on Scotland’s terms; the wider marine sector, including aquaculture, would be supported as a strategic national asset. Whisky and food & drink — already among Scotland’s strongest export industries — would be actively protected and promoted using full control of trade policy, geographical indications and promotion budgets, with continuity of sterling, a stable domestic market and targeted support for innovation, skills and sustainability. Tourism would receive a serious strategic overhaul focused on higher-value visitors, longer stays, better regional dispersal, improved infrastructure and transport links, skills and year-round appeal, moving beyond volume toward sustainable value that benefits local communities and reduces pressure on the most overcrowded sites. Public transport would undergo a full overhaul under complete Scottish control of rail, bus, ferry and related infrastructure policy and funding, with priorities of reliability, modal integration, fair fares, decarbonisation and better connectivity for rural, island and disadvantaged communities. Existing strengths in naval and commercial shipbuilding (particularly on the Clyde) and related engineering would be protected and expanded; defence and civilian procurement would be used strategically to sustain high-skill employment and apprenticeships, with continued participation in UK and international programmes sought where mutual benefit exists. BBC Scotland, as currently constituted, would be abolished and replaced by a new Scottish public service broadcasting arrangement accountable to the Scottish Parliament, designed to serve Scottish audiences with high-quality news, current affairs, drama and cultural programming, with funding, governance and remit decided in Scotland. Arts, culture and heritage would be supported as core elements of national life and soft power, with stable funding and arms-length bodies accountable to Scotland; Gaelic and Scots would receive strengthened status, education support and public visibility consistent with their place in Scottish life; policy would prioritise access, excellence and the distinctiveness of Scottish cultural expression. Scottish national teams and athletes would compete under the Scottish flag in international competitions as a fully independent nation; Sportscotland and the relevant governing bodies would continue with clear pathways from grassroots to elite level; independence would remove current anomalies around representation and allow Scotland to take its place in international sporting bodies on the same basis as other independent countries; investment in facilities and participation would remain a domestic priority.

These arrangements use the full powers of independence to back existing strengths and to correct long-standing constraints. Day-to-day continuity for producers, businesses, audiences, athletes and communities is protected while policy design moves fully under Scottish control. The main practical tasks are multi-year funding settlements inside the fiscal rules, systematic accession to international sporting bodies, legislative design of the new broadcasting arrangement, and the operational delivery of transport and tourism strategies. Delivery, not symbolism, is the overriding priority.

12.1 Farming, crofting and “buy local” policy

Farming and crofting would receive stronger, more tailored support under full Scottish control of agricultural policy and funding. Priorities would shift toward food security, environmental outcomes and a clear “buy local, support local” approach in public procurement. Direct support payments, less bureaucracy and better alignment with Scottish conditions — including crofting tenure and remote areas — would replace the current constrained system. Public-sector food purchasing would actively favour Scottish produce where quality and value allow. Control would fit policy to Scotland’s farms, crofts and communities; public-sector demand would support domestic production.

12.2 Fishing and marine sector

Scotland would have full control of fisheries management within its waters. Policy would prioritise the long-term sustainability of stocks, the viability of the Scottish fleet — especially smaller and coastal vessels — and the retention of economic benefit in Scottish communities. Scotland would negotiate access arrangements with other countries on its terms. The wider marine sector, including aquaculture and emerging blue-economy opportunities, would be supported as a strategic national asset. Control of the waters would serve Scottish stocks, Scottish vessels, and Scottish coastal communities.

12.3 Whisky and food & drink

Whisky and food & drink are already among Scotland’s strongest export industries and would be actively protected and promoted. Full control of trade policy, geographical indications and promotion budgets would be used to open and defend markets. The sectors would benefit from a stable sterling, a stable domestic market, and targeted support for innovation, skills, and sustainability. There would be no ideological interference — the focus is on growing high-value Scottish production and exports. What already succeeds is backed; markets are opened and defended; stability and practical support replace uncertainty and neglect.

12.4 Tourism

Tourism would receive a serious strategic overhaul. A properly funded national strategy would focus on higher-value visitors, longer stays, better regional dispersal, improved infrastructure and transport links, skills and year-round appeal. Marketing, quality standards and coordination across agencies would be strengthened. The aim is to move beyond volume toward sustainable value that benefits local communities and reduces pressure on the most overcrowded sites. Value over headcount; dispersal over concentration; community benefit over unchecked pressure.

12.5 Public transport overhaul

Public transport would undergo a full overhaul under complete Scottish control of rail, bus, ferry and related infrastructure policy and funding. Priorities would be reliability, integration between modes, fair fares, decarbonisation and better connectivity for rural, island and disadvantaged communities. Long-term investment plans, simplified ticketing and clear accountability would replace the current fragmented arrangements. Public transport is treated as essential national infrastructure, not a residual service.

12.6 Shipbuilding and engineering

Existing strengths in naval and commercial shipbuilding — particularly on the Clyde — and related engineering would be protected and expanded. Defence and civilian procurement would be used strategically to sustain high-skill employment and apprenticeships. Scotland would seek continued participation in UK and international programmes where mutual benefit exists, while developing its own requirements and export opportunities. The industrial base is a national asset and would be treated as such. Deliberate policy would secure skills, orders, and long-term capability.

12.7 Broadcasting (abolition of BBC Scotland and replacement)

BBC Scotland, as currently constituted, would be abolished. A new Scottish public service broadcasting arrangement would be created, accountable to the Scottish Parliament and designed to serve Scottish audiences with high-quality news, current affairs, drama and cultural programming. Scotland would decide funding, governance and remit. The aim is genuine public service broadcasting for Scotland rather than a regional outpost of a London-based corporation. The current arrangement ends; a Scottish system replaces it; audiences and staff are carried through the transition; accountability sits in Holyrood.

12.8 Arts, culture, heritage and languages (Gaelic/Scots)

Arts, culture and heritage would be supported as core elements of national life and soft power, with stable funding and arms-length bodies accountable to Scotland. Gaelic and Scots would receive strengthened status, education support and public visibility consistent with their place in Scottish life. Cultural institutions would be expected to serve both domestic audiences and Scotland’s international profile. Policy would prioritise access, excellence and the distinctiveness of Scottish cultural expression. Culture is backed as infrastructure; languages are strengthened in practical ways; accountability sits in Scotland.

12.9 Sport and international representation

Scottish national teams and athletes would compete under the Scottish flag in international competitions as a fully independent nation. Sportscotland and the relevant governing bodies would continue, with clear pathways from grassroots to elite level. Independence would remove the current anomalies around representation and allow Scotland to take its place in international sporting bodies on the same basis as other independent countries. Investment in facilities and participation would remain a domestic priority. Representation matches statehood; domestic structures continue; athletes are supported through the transition; participation at home underpins performance abroad.

Taken together, these nine positions define a sectoral stance that uses the full powers of independence to back Scottish strengths, correct long-standing constraints and place cultural, industrial and sporting institutions under clear Scottish accountability. The package rejects two failures at once: treating independence as a purely symbolic change that leaves sectoral policy essentially unchanged, and treating it as an opportunity for ideological restructuring that ignores delivery capacity, fiscal limits and existing institutional strengths.

It depends on multi-year funding settlements inside the fiscal rules; on systematic applications to international sporting bodies; on legislative design of the new broadcasting arrangement; on operational delivery of transport and tourism strategies; and on the continuity of existing domestic institutions in agriculture, fisheries, culture and sport. Those are demanding requirements where new institutions or accession processes are involved. For the producers, businesses, audiences, athletes and communities who already rely on these sectors, the foundation is continuity of support and operation while policy design moves fully under Scottish control. Delivery-focused advantage is the overriding priority; full Scottish responsibility and practical sequencing complete the design.