Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 24 February 2016
24 Feb 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill: Stage 3
The deal on the fiscal framework has ushered in a new and exciting era of devolution, and I congratulate the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister on their efforts in that regard.
The new powers that we have bring in an age of responsibility—the responsibility not just to govern well, but to use the powers to do things differently and to offer real change. After a day of congratulation and consensus comes a day of decision. This is the big choice that will define Scottish politics: we are faced with a choice between using our powers or continuing with failed Tory policies, and the Labour Party will choose to use our powers.
Today, we oppose this austerity budget. We do so not in a spirit of oppositionalism—[Interruption.]
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15693, in the name of John Swinney, on the Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill. 14:40
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy (John Swinney)
SNP
The Budget (Scotland) (No 5) Bill for 2016-17 maintains our strong record of managing the public finances using the fiscal powers that are currently availabl...
Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD)
LD
On the other side of the coin, we are seeing massive cuts to local authority budgets because of the financial straitjacket that Mr Swinney has imposed on loc...
John Swinney
SNP
It is for individual local authorities to take the decisions that they want to take about their budget choices—Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
John Swinney
SNP
The examples that Mr Rennie cited are the sort of options that are often circulated before council meetings, but when councils take their decisions they reje...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
If it is for councils to make their own decisions about how to manage the cuts, why is it not also for local councils to make their own decisions about the t...
John Swinney
SNP
Because the Government has a commitment to freeze the council tax for the duration of this parliamentary session, and we are determined to ensure that we del...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
Given that tens of thousands of public sector jobs are going to be lost as a result of the budget, regardless of whose fault that is, will the Deputy First M...
John Swinney
SNP
The claims that are being made about public sector employment are utterly exaggerated. I will cite the evidence for that. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
John Swinney
SNP
In the past 12 months, the number of jobs that have been lost in the devolved public sector in Scotland is 500—that is 0.1 per cent of public sector employme...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
What does the Deputy First Minister feel about the budget for SNP-controlled Clackmannanshire Council that was passed last week, which imposed a 7.1 per cent...
John Swinney
SNP
Individual local authorities must make their choices within the resources that are available to them. I am also entitled to insist on the need to freeze the ...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the member give way?
John Swinney
SNP
I must make more progress. We know that there is much more that we need to do. We want to create a world-class education system that delivers success for al...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary confirm that every local authority that is allocated a certain amount of money from the attainment fund will receive all that mone...
John Swinney
SNP
I can give Jenny Marra the assurance that authorities that are allocated the money will get the money that they are allocated. I thought that Jenny Marra mig...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Yesterday was an historic day for this Parliament. Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
The deal on the fiscal framework has ushered in a new and exciting era of devolution, and I congratulate the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister on ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
We do so in the spirit of a new and powerful Parliament with a positive alternative: to set the Scottish rate of income tax 1p higher than the rate that has ...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Will Kezia Dugdale give way?
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
No, thank you. I would like to make a bit more progress. This is a Parliament that has often heard arguments from all sides about what we cannot do and what...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Will Ms Dugdale give way?
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
Let me make a bit more progress. First, it is beyond any reasonable doubt that the policy is a fair one. Let us look at the facts. It is simply a fact that ...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will Ms Dugdale give way on that point?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
It appears that Ms Dugdale is not giving way at the moment, so allow her to make some progress.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
Mr Stewart should listen to the facts before he ignores them anyway. Analysis from the Scottish Parliament information centre shows that out of every £1 tha...