Scotland's Economy

A budget for the economy, and for fairness

January 22, 2013 by John Swinney MSP No Comments | Category Uncategorized

Today saw the Scottish Government’s budget bill debated in Parliament – a budget for the economy, and for fairness.

Scotland continues to face significant challenges as a result of global economic conditions and the United Kingdom Government’s approach to the public finances.

Those challenges are brought into sharp focus by the continuing uncertainty in the global economic outlook. This Government’s spending decisions will continue to be guided by our purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth and by working to deliver our programme for government and economic strategy.

Global economic conditions continue to impact on economic confidence.  Business investment remains considerably below pre-recession levels, while household incomes remain under pressure. We are therefore focused on enhancing confidence in order to encourage private sector investment and growth and to help households where we can.

The Government has published a Budget for 2013-14 that honours the commitments that it has made to the people of Scotland and that, within tight parameters, introduces additional measures to support economic recovery, beyond those set out in the Spending Review.

It includes investment in infrastructure, the green economy, skills and employability of around £0.25 billion, in addition to the decisive measures already funded in the Spending Review.

The Scottish Spending Review has made provision for the delivery of the most generous package of business rates relief in any part of the United Kingdom.  Yesterday the Minister for Local Government and Planning announced that from 1 April an additional business rates relief of up to 100% would be available on new build empty properties for up to 18 months to encourage speculative development and investment.  The Government will continue to work to deliver interventions that support business in Scotland.

The Budget Bill builds on the many steps the government is taking to support economic recovery by funding the Government’s new Employer Recruitment Initiative, which will support employment creation amongst SMEs and the establishment of the Energy Skills Academy, which will help us maximise the employment opportunities available in the energy sector.

The Bill also focuses on support for Capital Investment which the Scottish Government believes is crucial for economic recovery by giving effect to the announcement the Government made in December about the allocation of around £165 million of additional capital funding to a range of shovel ready projects,

We are also supporting our capital programme by taking forward the £2.5 billion non-profit-distributing pipeline of infrastructure projects; by using innovative funding mechanisms to lever in additional resources; and by switching over £700 million from resource budgets to support capital investment over the spending review period.

One of our highest priorities is action on housing, which is why the Government allocated a further £50 million to the housing budget in December 2012. This is our fourth tranche of additional funding for housing since the Spending Review in 2011.

The Government has therefore allocated nearly £200 million of extra funding to housing in decisions taken during 2012, demonstrating that where it has an opportunity to invest – it does exactly that. The investment will not only increase the supply of social and affordable housing, but will support our construction sector, help to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

Alongside our investment in the economy and public services, the Government also recognises the need to support households, businesses and individuals. Coupled to the measures that we are taking to protect the national health service budget, to freeze the council tax, and to pay a Scottish living wage, we have tried to establish in our budget a balance between the necessity of protecting household incomes, and delivering the focus on the economy that lies at the heart of the Government’s actions in every respect. Our commitment to fairness is also central to the Government’s response to the UK Government’s programme of welfare reform.  

This budget provides a bold and ambitious programme of investment in our people and infrastructure, in the context of the most challenging financial environment thatScotlandhas faced since devolution.

 The Government has taken decisions to prioritise employability and economic recovery, to build for the future and to ensure that our public services are supported in the years to come.  That is the foundation of the Government’s budget.

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