Nationalists say that because Scotland is classified as a "region" it is unable to enjoy all of the benefits enjoyed by similarly-sized countries like Finland and Denmark and smaller countries such as the Republic of Ireland.

BBC: SNP pledge to be 'Scotland's voice'

Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland and Hungary provide up to three years of paid leave for mothers.

ECONOMIST: Women in the workforce

The global BBC iPlayer App is a unique Video on Demand pilot subscription service available on iPad that offers viewers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland the opportunity to delve into an extensive archive of award-winning classic and contemporary British TV programming both at home and on the move.

ENGADGET: BBC brings global iPlayer iPad app to Canada, one step closer to the US