Scottish Budget
How will next SNP government tackle fiscal mess left by this one? #ScottishBudget
Eradicating child poverty? Growing the economy? Tackling climate crisis? Ensuring quality public services? Reviewing the Scottish Budget and Spending Review 2026, John McLaren finds a weary government’s major ‘achievement’ has been to hide the cuts…
In this Scottish Budget the silences were loudest
The Cabinet Secretary chose to talk about policies such as higher bands of council tax on million-pound-plus properties and increases in the Scottish Child Payment for children under the age of one, but neither takes…
Fiscal challenges for the Scottish Government, Pt 96
The new Medium Term Financial Strategy from the Scottish Government sets the scene for the upcoming Scottish Budget in December and marks a step forward in providing fiscal detail
The spending rollercoaster is well and truly back
The Scottish Government says it and Scotland have been “short-changed” by Rachel Reeves but what does the Spending Review mean for us really?
Fiscal sustainability and the Scottish budget
The draft Scottish Budget raised concerns regarding financial planning, particularly about the Funding shortfall for Employer National Insurance and the late commitment to mitigate the two-child limit on benefits. Mitigation aims to help families affected…
Scottish economy outperforming the UK but for how long?
Looking forward to the Scottish Budget on Dec 19, the FAI says: “With monetary policy determined at UK level and little in the way of manoeuvre on its own fiscal stance, the Deputy First Minister’s…
What does the Autumn Statement mean for Scotland?
“As these are devolved matters, the Scottish Government receives this funding but is under no obligation to match the policies announced by Westminster. For example, the retail, hospitality and leisure relief is a repeat of…
Kate’s budget blues
“A core resource block grant in 2022/23 that is 8% higher than pre-pandemic might sound generous, but to deal with the pandemic’s legacy and underlying public services pressures it is anything but. In this context,…
Sunak’s Budget and Scotland
“..further Covid-related allocations are designed to support the economy during ongoing restrictions – and these provide the Scottish Government with further resources during 2021/22. In years beyond that, this was a budget that aims to…
Scottish Budget analysis in plainer English
The resignation of finance secretary Derek Mackay overshadowed the fourth budget of this parliamentary term, which has led to a healthy increase in the resources available to the Scottish Government. How does it propose to…
Scotland’s wellbeing: rhetoric and reality
Nicola Sturgeon wants to measure Scotland’s economic success by wellbeing/quality of life, not just GDP. But where’s the beef? The Scottish Budget in February will be the test of what lies behind the rhetoric.