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| Scottish referendum: EU legal advice received but will not be disclosed | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The SNP government has received legal advice on an independent Scotland's membership of the EU, but it has refused to reveal what it says. | |
| External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop confirmed to BBC Newsnight Scotland that advice had now been seen. | |
| But she added that no government, whether at Holyrood or Westminster, would reveal such advice. | |
| In October last year, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she had asked for legal guidance on the EU. | |
| That advice was commissioned from the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland and it is understood he has now handed that over to the Holyrood administration. | |
| Ms Hyslop told BBC presenter Gordon Brewer: "We have received legal advice. No government, whether it is the UK government or the Scottish government, would disclose that. | |
| "But what we have said, and Nicola Sturgeon said this in October, is the White Paper would set out the proposals." | |
| Ms Hyslop revealed the news during an interview to discuss the view of former Irish prime minister John Bruton who believes Scotland "probably could" achieve EU membership within 18 months of independence. | |
| The Scottish government wants to negotiate "continuing" EU membership if there was a yes vote in 2014. | |
| However, Mr Bruton told the BBC he thought a formal treaty of accession would still be required. | However, Mr Bruton told the BBC he thought a formal treaty of accession would still be required. |