SNP: Independent Scotland would be like Bhutan In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, he said: "Strangely, they are a small country with a big neighbour who supply a large proportion of renewable energy to that big neighbour. They are in a currency union. They have a whole range of analogies. They even wear the kilt, as we do. Their action and their ability to influence others is greatly enhanced by the fact that they are an independent country. The average income of Bhutan's 708,500 citizens is around £1,200 per year and its official currency is the ngultrum. Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Tory deputy leader, said: "This must count as one of the most bizarre SNP interventions to date. "I find it hard to believe that comparing Scotland to a country that the UN describes as having "one of the world's smallest and least developed" economies is what the SNP considers as making a positive case for independence." Patricia Ferguson, Scottish Labour's external affairs spokesman, mocked the SNP's plan that the Bank of England remain in charge of a separate Scotland's monetary policy. Clearly there are differences with Bhutan. They have their own central bank for a start, and national dress is compulsory," she added.