Shona Robison to set out plan to protect public finances

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison has said she will set out a path to making Scotland’s finances sustainable as inflation hits the public purse.

High prices have put pressure on the Scottish Government’s spending, with ministers often saying they face difficult choices around their budgets.

Ms Robison will set out a medium-term financial strategy in Holyrood on Thursday.

The Government says this will prioritise public spending, drive economic growth and deliver a strategic approach to tax.

An advisory group will meet this summer to bring forward taxation ideas ahead of the Government’s next budget.

Ms Robison said: “We continue to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution, with the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and high inflation putting significant pressure on Scotland’s public finances which have not been addressed by the UK Government.

“The Scottish Government has a strong track record in delivering a balanced budget every year while providing the best range of public services in the UK.

“However, this is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly since so much of our funding is tied to decisions taken by the UK Government.

“Some of these decisions, not least Brexit, and its disastrous mini-budget, have made things much worse for our economy.”

She continued: “We have already taken significant action to increase the funding available through our tax-raising powers.

“We want our tax strategy to be informed by a broad range of views and the group I am establishing this summer is one part of our engagement with the public and experts in the sector as we build the most progressive tax system in the UK.

“We continue to press the UK Government to provide the funding and powers to meet the scale of these challenges.”