Meeting of the Parliament 06 December 2023
No, thank you, sir.
Professor David Bell, who is one of the three authors of the independent report, told the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 19 September that he was surprised that the report was held back for five months before being published on the same day as the finalised fiscal framework, when a fait accompli was arrived at. That should have been a genuine opportunity for broad discussion, but it was all rushed out the door during the summer recess. The Government tried to schedule a debate on the fiscal framework review in September, before the Finance and Public Administration Committee had even had the opportunity to take evidence on the updated agreement. This debate is scheduled for a little more than two hours, but, back in September, we had longer than that to debate the many merits of football. Our nation’s finances deserve a little more time. The Parliament exists to spend more time on the matters that will impact every citizen and those who have not yet been born. Why is the Government so desperate to avoid the genuine scrutiny that Labour would like to see—deleting WhatsApp messages, forgetting meetings, refusing to reform freedom of information legislation and, even today, suing the Scottish Information Commissioner?
The Deputy First Minister told the Finance and Public Administration Committee that she did not think that there would be a public debate about the fiscal framework, because it is “quite technical”. I find that quite astonishing. Like so much in the SNP’s tenure—NHS waiting lists and school attainment—this is being filed in the a-little-bit-too-difficult pile. Granted, it is not an instant vote winner such as tax freezes, free bikes and laptops, but good Government in the best interests of the people of Scotland rests on getting the “quite technical” issues right.