Video: Independent Scotland 'will bring oil industry stability' An independent Scottish government could offer greater fiscal stability to the North Sea oil companies due to its willingness to consult with them over tax changes, a new report has said. Investment in the oil and gas industry involves significant risk for companies, so investors are always looking for reassurance that the tax and regulation regimes are going to remain constant and predictable. The Aberdeen University Professor, John Paterson, who co-authored the paper exploring energy issues around the Scottish independence referendum for the David Hume Institute, said he believed an independent Scottish government could offer more predictability to the industry rather than less. "Post referendum, if we had an independent Scotland, all the signals that the Scottish government is currently sending, are very much to address the concerns of the [oil and gas] industry about fiscal stability," said Professor Paterson. In 2011 the UK government increased the rate of the supplementary charge, an additional charge on a company's ring fence profits "without any warning whatsoever" according to Prof Paterson, causing concern in the oil and gas industry. "The Scottish government in its publications has very much addressed [this concern] by saying [it has] no plans to change the fiscal regime but any future change would very much be on the basis of consultation," said Prof Paterson. Today, the Scottish First Minister unveil a 670-page White Paper detailing his plans for a separate Scotland, including proposals for its currency, pensions, defence and EU membership.