Budget focused on protecting people and public services.
The 2024-25 Scottish Budget will set out targeted funding for the
Government’s key missions of equality, community and opportunity
amid a profoundly challenging financial situation, Deputy First
Minister and Finance Secretary has said.
Next week Ms Robison, who is also Finance Secretary, will outline
the Scottish Government’s financial priorities for 2024-25,
including the difficult choices that have had to be made as a
result of last month’s Autumn Statement. The Deputy First
Minister has described that Statement as a “worst case scenario”
for Scotland, telling Parliament that it failed to provide the
investment needed in services and infrastructure, reflecting the
UK’s economic circumstances after Brexit.
The Budget will provide the funding to protect people and public
services from the worst effects of these economic circumstances,
Ms Robison said.
The Finance Secretary added:
“In the face of a deeply challenging financial situation, this
Budget will reaffirm our social contract with the people of
Scotland.
“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 underinvestment 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. And 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 ten-year programme of public service reform. And we are
using all the powers we have to create a thriving economy while
providing funding to achieve our ambitious net zero targets.”
Background
The 2024-25 Scottish Budget will be presented to the Scottish
Parliament on Tuesday 19 December.
A summary of the UK economic and fiscal outlook from Office of
the Chief Economic Adviser is attached to this news release.
