SNP hits out as Treasury fails to reveal UK assets

THE UK government has said that it will not publish a new National Asset Register of everything it owns, leading to claims that the document has been cancelled to prevent the SNP government from using it as a basis for forming a negotiating position ahead of the independence referendum next year.

By DAVID MADDOX Thursday, 14th March 2013, 12:59 am

The register, which includes every item of equipment, building and land owned by the government along with their values, was expected to be published this year, but the Treasury said it was too bureaucratic.

Sign up to our daily newsletter The i newsletter cut through the noise Sign up Thanks for signing up! Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting...

The information it contains on defence equipment and foreign embassies was seen as vital for the SNP’s negotiating position on what Scotland might inherit or what monetary value might be due for assets kept by the rest of the UK.

Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander said: “There are currently no plans in place to publish another National Asset Register.”