22/01/2009 - Call for Scottish notes acceptance
Businesses in England could be forced to accept Scottish banknotes following the launch of a private member's bill.
Launched by Tory MP David Mundell he wants all UK businesses to accept Scottish notes as a legal requirement, and said the move would put an end to "confusion" over the notes, which English shops sometimes refuse.
Mr Mundell, shadow secretary of state for Scotland, said the issue of notes has been a long-standing source of "irritation and even embarrassment" for Scots in English shops.
"If I took forward a bill which started to get into the issue of legal tender, it would be very technical, have literally hundreds of clauses, and it would not stand much chance of making progress," Mr Mundell told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme.
"What I am saying is if a business accepts a Bank of England note, it would be under an obligation to accept the equivalent Scottish note - provided there was no suggestion that it was not genuine," he added.
Mr Mundell said he had support from MPs, including Scots MPs, but he did not know whether the Treasury was sympathetic.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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