Meeting of the Parliament 24 September 2024
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 sure that the finance secretary does.
I think that I am probably running out of time, so let me say, in closing, what both Governments should be doing. Both Governments should be going for growth: lowering taxes, not raising taxes; passing the rates relief that has been given by the UK Government on to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses; supporting North Sea oil and gas and not seeking to close it down, as Labour is trying to do; bringing in a national workforce plan for skills; and investing in infrastructure in roads such as the A9, the A96, the A75, the A77 and the A1.
We need to have a positive vision for Scotland. Instead, it is going backwards under the SNP and, under Labour, the UK is heading in the same direction. We are being failed by two Governments, and we need to do better.
I move amendment S6M-14614.2, to leave out from “supports” to end and insert:
“acknowledges the crucial role of the previous UK Conservative administrations in securing the largest ever block grants for Scotland, in curtailing inflation, guiding the country through and out of the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting businesses through the furlough scheme, and in providing non-domestic rates relief, which the Scottish National Party (SNP) administration chose not to pass on to businesses in Scotland; credits the Conservative administration for ensuring consistent economic growth for the UK, frequently outpacing the rest of the G7, and protecting UK pensions; notes that the current UK Labour administration, despite this legacy, has created a budget deficit by paying above-inflation pay awards to the public sector; condemns the UK Labour administration for scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment, thereby putting 900,000 Scottish pensioners in Scotland at risk this winter, and acknowledges the legacy of 17 years of economic mismanagement by the SNP administration in Scotland, which has resulted in stagnant growth, high taxes, underinvestment, spending cuts, and difficulties in attracting skilled workers to Scotland.”
15:21
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