Scotland's Economy

  • Finding a way to a healthier, fairer Scotland

    8th October 2015 by

    Scotland is a wealthy nation with great potential. We have extensive natural resources but our greatest assets are our people. We produce world-leading scientists, writers, artists and business leaders – but deep inequalities exist in our society. These inequalities can be measured in various ways, and are reflected in wide disparities in income, educational attainment,...

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  • Queen re-opens Borders Railway

    10th September 2015 by

    This new Borders Railway line is the result of £300m of investment and the expert work of more than 1,000 peopleFirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon and 150 other guests joined Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh on an iconic steam train journey from Edinburgh to mark the official route opening, before a special plaque was...

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  • UK Budget ‘encourages inequality’

    12th July 2015 by

    The Chancellor is cutting disproportionately from the poorest and most vulnerable sections of society, short-changing those on low incomes and removing work incentives, whilst giving tax breaks to the better-off. The changes in the minimum wage, whilst welcome, are nowhere near enough to offset these changes. The UK Government’s budget simply encourages inequality. Tax credits...

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  • Scottish cuts ‘bitter pill’

    8th June 2015 by

    In the face of strong opposition and no mandate for austerity in Scotland, the Chancellor plans to plough ahead and slash the Scottish budget this year. The cut of £107 million is substantially lower than the UK Government’s original estimate but this still too bitter pill to swallow. This comes on top of an overall...

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  • Record-breaking employment numbers

    28th May 2015 by

    Scotland had 2,558,800 people in employment in 2014, the highest since comparable records began in 2004 and the lowest ever number of 16 to 19 year olds not in education, employment or training. This is a remarkable set of figures that demonstrates that the work the Scottish Government is doing to improve employability and get...

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  • Scottish Business Pledge launches

    26th May 2015 by

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  • £6 million to support Fife Taskforce

    28th April 2015 by

    This is a very anxious time for the workers at Tullis Russell, their families and indeed the wider community across Fife. Particularly in a small town the size of Markinch, the potential impact of these job losses cannot be underestimated. We are therefore making an immediate and initial financial investment of £6 million to support...

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  • Public infrastructure projects to hit £1.5 billion

    24th February 2015 by

    Up and down Scotland, people can already see the tangible results of this billion and a half pound investment – indeed, even now there are construction sites all over the country providing enormous benefits to industry already. During 2015 alone, we expect infrastructure projects like the new South Glasgow hospitals, the Borders Railway and Inverness...

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  • Fracking moratorium welcomed

    30th January 2015 by

    I totally understand that those with different perspectives in the debate on unconventional oil and gas have strongly held views, but I very much welcome the positive and constructive welcome from both industry interests and from environmental organisations to the Scottish Government’s announcement of a full public consultation and a moratorium on unconventional oil and...

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  • Land and Buildings Transaction Tax unveiled

    21st January 2015 by

    In October, the Draft Budget provided me with the honour of being the first Scottish Finance Minister for 308 years to set national tax rates. Even that experience didn’t prepare me for the even greater honour of seeing the design of my national tax being replicated across the UK in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement less...

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