Scottish Parliament

Alex Salmond told MSPs he guaranteed next year's independence referendum white paper would contain a detailed assessment of an independent Scotland's membership in the EU which would be fully consistent with legal advice the government had received.

Mr Salmond offered the guarantee as a solution to his being unable to publish legal advice on EU membership due to the ministerial code, during first minister's questions on 13 September 2012.

He was responding to questions from Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, who said the Scottish government was spending £100,000 to prevent legal advice on the issue going in to the public domain.

Ms Lamont said the President of the European Commission Manuel Barroso had said all new states would have to apply to join the EU and must be accepted by existing members.

She insisted this meant Scotland would have to apply and adopt the Euro as it's currency if successful.

Mr Salmond said Scotland had been a member of the EU for 40 years and "negotiations would take place within the context of the EU".

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, also questioned a future independent Scotland's status in the EU, asking the first minister when he would start negotiations with other EU members.

Mr Salmond insisted Scotland would be an equal and independent member of the EU.

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, questioned the first minister on the new patient management system highlighting "a system in meltdown" in Ayrshire and Arran health board, with some 110,000 appointments cancelled by the board.

He replied the issue was being dealt with and said "we have the lowest waiting times in the history of the NHS in Scotland".