The culture secretary has told Scots that they will lose the BBC if they vote for independence in September. Maria Miller said a vote for Scottish independence would be a vote to leave the institutions of the UK, and that included the BBC.

The culture secretary said in a Q&A session after her speech at the Oxford Media Convention on Wednesday that the BBC was "part of our crown jewels", and was too important for the debate about its charter renewal to become embroiled in party politics.

"We have to think what the [independence] vote is about. It's about whether or not Scotland wants to remain as part of the UK," said Miller.

"If the vote is no, they don't want to do that, then it's a vote to leave the institutions of the UK and the BBC is one of those institutions."

The SNP said last year it would create a new Scottish Broadcasting Service, funded by the Scottish share of the licence fee.

Alex Salmond's party proposed that BBC1 and BBC2 would continue to be available in an independent Scotland, along with BBC radio stations and commercial TV channels such as ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

The Scottish government has argued that in 2016 the BBC will raise £320m through the licence fee in Scotland, but it will spend only £175m on services for Scottish viewers and listeners.

In an independent Scotland, the SNP said it would use the £320m to fund the new Scottish Broadcasting Service.

Miller said: "I was in Aberdeen on Monday and went into BBC Aberdeen and saw an excellent operation producing some fantastic local programmes."

She praised the BBC's Scottish output, "particularly their focus on local cultural programmes".

Asked about proposals – put forward by former BBC chairman Lord Grade and others – that the licence fee should be further top-sliced for other public service broadcasters, Miller said the corporation was part of the nation's crown jewels.

She said director general Tony Hall and BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten had "started the process" of sorting out BBC governance in the wake of scandals over multi-million pound payoffs and the £100m Digital Media Initiative debacle.

"I want to see that process … before we get into discussions around charter renewal," she said.

"The last charter renewal went on far too long, we need to make sure it isn't engaged in the political fray, it has to rise above that.

"The most important thing is governance is strong … and as charter renewal comes up it is not part of a political discussion. The BBC is too important for that."

She added: "If there's one brand that people know when I go round the world, it's the BBC. I sometimes think we don't realise how important the BBC is in people's perceptions of our country."

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