Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2026 [Draft]
As Mr McKee is whispering in my ear, the economy is growing faster in Scotland than in other parts of the United Kingdom. In part, that is a result of our approach to a progressive taxation system, which I will go on to talk about, because it benefits our society. I know that Mr Hoy is really engaged in that, because we need to work together on how we can help to support our constituents, regardless of party.
We have also been able to fund new policies, such as the Scottish child payment, which is helping to keep the level of child poverty in Scotland lower than it is in the rest of the United Kingdom. Indeed, University of Oxford professor Danny Dorling has described the Scottish child payment policy as a major contributor to the largest reduction in child poverty anywhere in Europe since the fall of the Berlin wall.
I reflect, and I am sure that we will hear, that there is a general feeling among some of the Opposition that our approach to social security is out of kilter. Some parties would rather take from the vulnerable by making cuts to social security benefits to fund lower taxes for those with more, but the financial challenges that this country faces were not created by the poor.
The SNP Scottish Government will never target those with least to give. Since the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 was passed, we have established a radically different social security system that is built on dignity, fairness and respect. Our investment in social security supports our national mission to end child poverty. It helps to support poorer families. It helps to support unpaid carers. It helps to support old folk to heat their homes. Social security allows disabled people to live independent lives.
Rather than taking from those who are already struggling, we believe that the wealthier should pay a little more. I refer to people who are on higher than average salaries, like you, Presiding Officer, me and MSPs across the parties. I doubt that we would hear critique about that from the public.