Scottish Budget will protect people and public services, vows Robison

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has said next week’s Budget will “reaffirm the social contract” by targeting money “to protect people and public services”.

Shona Robison, who also serves as the country’s Finance Secretary, will lay out her Government’s tax and spending plans on Tuesday in Holyrood.

Set against the backdrop of a £1.5 billion black hole in the country’s finances, reports this week have suggested Ms Robison could introduce another tax bracket to raise funds.

In a statement released on Sunday, Ms Robison did not detail any specifics of the plans and instead stressed the Budget will focus on people and public services, while also laying the blame for the tight economic situation firmly at the feet of the UK Government.

“In the face of a deeply challenging financial situation, this Budget will reaffirm our social contract with the people of Scotland,” she said.

“The autumn statement was devastating for Scottish finances. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has acknowledged that it will lead to planned real-terms cuts in public service spending.

“Scotland is facing a 9.8% cut to our capital budget for infrastructure between this year and 2027-28.

“The £10.8 million additional health consequentials we received from the autumn statement for next year are enough to run NHS Scotland for just five hours, and UK Government funding for justice, housing and communities, net zero, energy, and environment are all being cut in real-terms.

“All this comes on top of more than a decade of UK Government under-investment that has left our public services with very little resilience.

“We refuse to follow UK Government spending decisions – indeed, we are doing all we can to mitigate them.

“We are proud that Scotland has a social contract which ensures people are protected by a safety net should they fall on hard times.

“This contract underpins this Budget, with targeted funding to protect people and public services.

“We are unashamedly targeting resources at those most in need to support them through the cost-of-living crisis.

“We are providing funding to deliver the services that people rely on most, along with a 10-year programme of public service reform.

“We are using all the powers we have to create a thriving economy, while providing funding to achieve our ambitious net zero targets.”

The Scottish Conservatives have called for a focus on economic growth in the Budget, as well as the scrapping of the planned national care service – which could cost up to £2.2 billion according to a Scottish Government estimate – saving £126 million next year, and cutting the civil service workforce to 2016 levels, which the Tories estimate would save £411 million.

The Tories also urged the Government to cut its external affairs budget, increase the number of police officers by 1,000 – at a cost of £53.1 million, bring back 75% business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sector – mirroring a UK Government policy – worth £232 million, and freeze rates for every other firm at a price of £165.8 million.

The party’s finance spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “Already the nationalists are dusting down their usual ‘it’s Westminster’s fault’ playbook, but that won’t wash.

“The SNP Government, which has received the biggest block grant ever, is responsible for the huge black hole in Scotland’s finances, due to its mismanagement of the Scottish economy over many years and its uncosted public sector pay deals and council tax freeze.

“The measures I am proposing will put economic growth as the top priority and provide much better support for local government – two things that the SNP have neglected throughout their time in office, and which are also major contributors to that black hole.”