Scottish independence referendum: The nuts and bolts of the most important vote in 300 years By SCOTT MACNAB Published on Thursday 26 January 2012 00:00 THE clearest picture yet of Alex Salmond's route map to independence has emerged in the SNP's referendum document. It sets out the key milestones on the horizon over the next three years, as the countdown to Scotland's biggest decision in 300 years intensifies. Areas of contention which still threaten to scupper the referendum were addressed by the First Minister during a speech to Holyrood, but the details have yet to be thrashed out. The timetable The autumn 2014 date was already known, but it emerged yesterday this will mean the referendum is held a full year after the bill is passed in the Scottish Parliament. And it will be November 2013 - almost two years away - before the SNP government sets out the official case for independence in a white paper. The consultation states that the poll date has been chosen to avoid a clash with the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, which are being held in Scotland in 2014. If Scots vote Yes, Scotland would officially become independent in 2016, when that year's May elections will see the the first parliament of the new independent Scotland returned. Who runs it? The Scottish Government has shifted ground by allowing the Electoral Commission to regulate the poll. The SNP had initially wanted to establish its own commission, but backed down after it was agreed the Electoral Commission could report to Holyrood instead of Westminster. But Labour is still concerned that the commission will not be involved in the framing of the question itself. "This is a big change," Labour's Margaret Curran said. The conduct of the poll itself and the count will be run by chief counting officer Mary Pitcaithly, head of the Electoral Management Board. Votes will be counted by hand overnight, meaning the result is likely to be known in the early hours of the following morning. The franchise The row over 16- and 17-year-olds being allowed to vote in the referendum remains a bone of contention. The coalition and Labour insist the rules should not be changed for this poll, with 18 the usual voting age in UK elections. But the SNP insists in the consultation that denying 16- and 17-year-olds the vote risks them becoming "disengaged from the political process." Mr Salmond said yesterday: "It is right that our young people should have the chance to play their part in decisions about their community and country." Legality The consultation states that Holyrood's legal right to stage a referendum on independence is "beyond any question" , despite protestations from the UK government. "There are suitable questions which are entirely within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament," the document says. But Scottish Secretary Michael Moore again insisted yesterday: "This is not correct. Any attempt to pass legislation for either an independence or "devo-max" referendum would be outside the existing powers of the Scottish Parliament and liable to legal challenge. We have made it clear that we think the Scottish Government would lose such a challenge. A solution appears to be the use of a Section 30 order, which would see Westminster effectively hand Holyrood the legal power to stage such a vote and Mr Salmond indicted again yesterday he was open to this. He will hold talks with Mr Moore tomorrow and later with David Cameron in an effort to thrash out a deal. But he warned: "Let me be quite clear: the terms of the referendum are for the Scottish Parliament and the people of Scotland to decide." The question The prospect of a second question appearing on the ballot paper on more powers for Holyrood remains a possibility, after the consultation sought views on this third option. It has been widely seen a face-saving option for Mr Salmond if he loses the vote on independence. The SNP's preferred option is a straight Yes/No on independence and a dummy ballot paper set this out yesterday. But Mr Salmond said: "If there is an alternative of maximum devolution which would command wide support in Scotland then it only fair and democratic that option should be among the choices open to the people of Scotland. We will not, as the UK government seems to want, eliminate that choice simply because it might be popular. Spending The SNP has a £2 million war chest to spend after being left £1m in the will of former makar Edwin Morgan, as well as a similar donation from lottery winner Colin Weir. However, the cap on spending will limit the amount of money it can throw at the campaign to half of this. Political parties at Holyrood will be restricted to a £250,000 cap, while the lead campaign body in the pro-union and pro-independence camps will each be restricted to £750,000 of expenditure. This will also limit the funding for the pro-union campaign, which could win the support of business organisations, particularly in other parts of the UK. Other individuals and bodies who want to get involved in the campaign will be allowed to spend £5,000. The total cost of the referendum itself is likely to be around the £10m, the bulk of which will be running the poll and the count. Turnout Nationalists are still haunted by the controversial 40 per cent threshold from the 1979 devolution referendum, which nullified the result, despite a narrow majority of Scots voting Yes. "The referendum will not be subject to any minimum turnout," the consultation states.