28 July 2012 Last updated at 09:35 ET

Treasury to appoint Scottish head

The Treasury in London is advertising for a head of its new office in Scotland.

The post holder will be tasked with arguing the benefits of Scotland being in the United Kingdom ahead of the independence referendum.

The post, paying up to £50,000, is titled "head of Scotland analysis".

The SNP party claimed the move was designed to spread "anti-independence rhetoric".

The new position requires engagement with key figures in Scotland and preparing reports to brief Treasury and Scotland Office ministers.

The job advertisement said the post holder "will be expected to use their location and relationships to bring significant depth and colour to analysis on the benefits of the UK.

"Articulate, proactive, and credible, you'll also establish relationships for the Treasury with key figures in business, academia, and civic society."

'Key role'

It continued: "We are looking for someone to hit the ground running in this key role, so established relationships with some or all of business, academics and key opinion formers in Scotland is required, as is experience and knowledge of analysis of the Scottish economy, along with the benefits Scotland derives from the UK."

The post will exist until December 2014, just after the Scottish government plans to hold the vote on Scotland's future.

Responding to the announcement, SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie said: "The Treasury currently employ not a single person in Scotland.

"It is disgraceful that they should be spending yet more public money trying to stop the people of Scotland voting for independence, when George Osborne should be doing everything he can to reverse the deep recession that the Tory/Lib Dem Treasury is responsible for.

"The disastrous job-destroying policies of the Tory/Lib Dem Treasury is a perfect illustration of exactly why Scotland needs to secure job-creating powers with independence."