Denmark's example

Professor David Stevenson (Letters, 23 July) asks how independence would help solve the problems of second-home ownership, and suggests Scotland would need to be independent of the European Union, as well as of England, to achieve this.

Some years ago, the SNP asked me to translate into English a Danish foreign ministry document describing the Danish derogation from the Maastricht Treaty. Basically, it said, "Denmark is allowed to stop Germans buying second homes in Denmark", although it took several pages to do so and did not mention Germans by name.

There may well be good reasons to wish for Scotland to be independent outwith the EU rather than "independent in Europe". I should be glad to see a well-informed debate, followed by a multi-option referendum, to test public opinion on this.

The fisheries debacle has almost persuaded me to favour the "outwith" option, although I believe most of the fault over fisheries lies with the British establishment, and its Scottish allies, rather than with the EU.

But Denmark, with the sort of "independence in Europe" the SNP seeks, has proved that it is possible for a small sovereign state to defend its interests effectively within the EU.

DAVID STEVENSON

Blacket Place

Edinburgh