Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 20 February 2018
20 Feb 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scottish Rate Resolution 2018-19
The Conservatives stood ready to vote with a Government that was prepared to meet its manifesto commitment to keep taxes low, but Mr Mackay spurned my advances to join in a taxpayers alliance to protect the people of Scotland from high taxes.
Nicola Sturgeon was quite clear on numerous occasions. She said that it was
“not right to increase income tax for those who are on the basic rate.”—[Official Report, 3 May 2017; c 9.]
That promise was made 53 times in 2016 and 2017 not just by Nicola Sturgeon but by a whole range of SNP figures. We have not heard an apology from Mr Mackay or Mr Mason, but perhaps one SNP speaker in the debate will have the courage to apologise for breaking the manifesto commitment. If Parliament passes the rate resolution, that promise will be broken and some 45 per cent of Scottish taxpayers—more than 1 million people—will pay more tax than they would if they lived south of the border. That will make Scotland the highest-taxed part of the United Kingdom.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
Our next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-10397, in the name of Derek Mackay, on the Scottish rate resolution. I invite members who wish to speak i...
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution (Derek Mackay)
SNP
Today, the Scottish Parliament votes on setting all rates and bands for Scottish income tax. This is our opportunity to use the powers of the Scottish Parlia...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take this opportunity to apologise to the 898,000 basic-rate taxpayers in Scotland who perhaps believed the Scottish National Part...
Derek Mackay
SNP
A majority of basic-rate taxpayers will pay less tax under the Government’s proposition. I am sure that they will welcome that. I do not know why Murdo Frase...
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Would it not be fairer and bolder to ask the wealthiest people in Scotland to pay more tax so that the Government can begin to tackle child poverty?
Derek Mackay
SNP
That is exactly what the SNP Government is doing. However, in contrast with the Labour Party’s proposals, we will, by doing this in a proper fashion, actuall...
James Kelly (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary confirm that the Government is able to submit its own forecasts in relation to income tax receipts and therefore can change the am...
Derek Mackay
SNP
HM Treasury will release for the Scottish Government to draw down only what the SFC has forecast is the appropriate amount. That is the reality. That is the ...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
It feels as though we have been debating the Scottish Government’s budget for months, now. Indeed, we have a reprise of this debate coming up tomorrow, with ...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Murdo Fraser
Con
Yes, of course. I am sure that Mr Mason will associate himself with that manifesto commitment.
John Mason
SNP
I do associate myself with the manifesto commitment. Does Murdo Fraser accept that a manifesto can be fully implemented only if there is a majority Governmen...
Murdo Fraser
Con
The Conservatives stood ready to vote with a Government that was prepared to meet its manifesto commitment to keep taxes low, but Mr Mackay spurned my advanc...
Ivan McKee (Glasgow Provan) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Murdo Fraser
Con
Not at the moment. The overall burden of income tax will be higher in Scotland than it is in other parts of the UK. The SNP seems to want to portray its ta...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
Will Murdo Fraser finally drop the pretence that increasing the personal allowance is a progressive move? It has been demonstrated time and again that the bu...
Murdo Fraser
Con
Mr Harvie is simply wrong on that. The millions who have benefited from their incomes having been taken out of tax altogether will disagree with him, because...
Ivan McKee
SNP
Will Murdo Fraser give way?
Murdo Fraser
Con
Not just now. A nurse who earns £30,000 a year will pay £40 more. A primary school teacher, social worker or paramedic who earns £35,000 will pay £90 more. ...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Does that mean that Murdo Fraser and the Tory party support the pay rise that the Government proposes for the workers that he has just mentioned?
Murdo Fraser
Con
Local government workers would like to know whether they will get a pay rise, too, because there is nothing in the Scottish Government’s budget for local gov...
Derek Mackay
SNP
As Murdo Fraser knows fine well, all those matters—which we have debated in committee—were raised by the Scottish Government in the early days of the propose...
Murdo Fraser
Con
I am sure that that outcome will give great reassurance to the many people who are concerned about such issues—not least the many charities in Scotland that ...
James Kelly (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
The new tax powers were a chance to present a bold and radical budget. The SNP tax plans fall massively short of what is required, and it is the people of Sc...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Can I be clear about that? Is James Kelly suggesting that I, as a minister, should interfere with the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecast just because I ha...
James Kelly
Lab
I am saying very clearly to Mr Mackay that there is an onus on him in the legislation. If he disagrees with that forecast, he can produce his own forecast an...
Bruce Crawford (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
James Kelly
Lab
Sure.
Bruce Crawford
SNP
Let me do something unusual first—let me congratulate the Labour Party. At least the Labour Party made proposals for this Parliament to discuss, unlike the T...
James Kelly
Lab
On the tourism tax, the Government had the option of bringing forward emergency legislation, which would have meant investment of £70 million in next year’s ...