Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-14614, in the name of Shona Robison, on the United Kingdom budget, Scotland’s priorities. I invite member...

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Shona Robison) SNP

Three weeks ago, I set out the challenges facing the Scottish budget and the difficult decisions that this Government was taking to balance the budget and de...

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

On the issue of tax, given everything that the cabinet secretary has said about the use of tax levers, does she now regret the decision taken by the Cabinet ...

Shona Robison SNP

The decision to freeze council tax was a support measure in response to the pressure on household incomes due to the cost of living crisis that has been driv...

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

I appreciate what the cabinet secretary is saying about the lack of certainty from the UK Government on the financial settlement, but we do have clarity on t...

Shona Robison SNP

I confirmed that in our written answer to Alex Cole-Hamilton, which shows that we have utilised only around £96 million of ScotWind revenues for 2023-24. The...

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

It is a novel experience for those of us on this side of the chamber that, for the first time in 14 years, we are not in government in Westminster and, there...

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic (Kate Forbes) SNP

Can the member confirm the deficit of the Scottish Government, which, by law, is required to balance its budget every year?

Murdo Fraser Con

I think that the Deputy First Minister is very familiar with her own “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland”—GERS—figures, which set out the nominal de...

Kate Forbes SNP

Will the member take another intervention?

Murdo Fraser Con

Of course I will take another intervention.

Kate Forbes SNP

I did not think that the member needed a lesson on the difference between the Scottish Government’s budget and projected figures, but can he confirm whether ...

Murdo Fraser Con

Well, what the Deputy First Minister is tempting me to do is congratulate the Scottish Government on not breaking the law, because the law says that it has t...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

The member described the energy profits levy as “a reckless attack”. Would he remind the chamber which party of government introduced that levy?

Murdo Fraser Con

We are not proposing to take away the allowances in the way that the Labour Party is currently doing. We are not proposing to turn off the tap on North Sea o...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Murdo Fraser Con

Yes—if I have time.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Briefly, cabinet secretary.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I wonder how the member might react to the stage 2 amendments to the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill that were lodged by his Conservative colleag...

Murdo Fraser Con

The cabinet secretary should listen to what the Scottish Fiscal Commission has said about the need for growth. If we matched UK economic growth, that would, ...

Shona Robison SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Murdo Fraser Con

I have taken lots of interventions.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

The member is bringing his remarks to a close.

Murdo Fraser Con

The tax gap is actively deterring them from attracting talent to come and work in Scotland. I know that the Deputy First Minister gets that, but I am not sur...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

I have to say that Murdo Fraser standing up and describing things being in free fall is somewhat ironic. I remember that, this time almost exactly two years ...

The Minister for Victims and Community Safety (Siobhian Brown) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Daniel Johnson Lab

If I could take a moment to finish the point. There is a danger of sending a mixed message—that today’s debate is something of a hasty attempt to cry betray...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I think that Siobhian Brown was seeking to intervene.

Daniel Johnson Lab

Apologies.

Siobhian Brown SNP

First, given the importance of the UK budget, and the consequentials to the Scottish Government, to delivering for the people of Scotland, whom we all repres...