Scottish Government Debate: Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget

1. Jenny Gilruth S7M-01395 That the Parliament welcomes the new Prime Minister’s approach to further devolution for Scotland; calls for commensurate funding to support the transfer of further powers and for the UK Government to end the era of austerity by increasing the Scottish Government’s budget in real terms; demands that the UK Government take action to address the cost of living crisis, including immediate action on energy and fuel bills; suggests that the UK Government should improve wealth taxation to support the public finances and devolve a greater range of powers, including fiscal powers, to Scotland, to aid investment and growth. Further details available for S7M-01395 2. Malcolm Offord S7M-01395.2 As an amendment to S7M-01395 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget), leave out from “for Scotland” to end, and insert “across the UK as a whole; believes however that Scotland already has the most generous devolution settlement and that the Scottish Government must maximise the powers that it already has before asking for more; further believes that, despite extensive devolution already and total state spending being 26% higher per capita than England, many Scottish public services have worse outcomes than in England; calls on the Scottish Government to take action to address the cost of living crisis, on the basis that the most impactful immediate action it could take would be to reduce energy and fuel bills, and notes that Parliament already has the power to assist with this by ending the ban on nuclear energy development and opposition to new oil and gas.” Further details available for S7M-01395.2 3. Daniel Johnson S7M-01395.3 As an amendment to S7M-01395 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget), leave out from “commensurate” to end and insert "a new approach to devolution within Scotland, transferring power and resources from the Scottish Parliament to Scotland’s regions and local communities to support stronger regional economies and better local decision-making; notes the experience of regional devolution in places such as Greater Manchester and the role that greater local control has played in supporting regional economic development; believes that skills policy and funding should form a core part of regional devolution in Scotland, giving councils, colleges, employers and other local partners greater power to respond to the needs of their regional economies; calls on the Scottish Government to provide greater clarity regarding what its public service reform agenda would mean in practice for public services, the public sector workforce and communities across Scotland; further calls on the Scottish Government to publish an updated Medium-Term financial strategy ahead of its Budget, setting out the outlook for spending, taxation, reform and the sustainability of public finances over the medium term, in order for Parliament to have a clear and comprehensive picture to be able to scrutinise the Budget and make decisions about Scotland’s priorities.” Further details available for S7M-01395.3 4. Ross Greer S7M-01395.4 As an amendment to motion S7M-01395 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget), leave out from "suggests" to end and insert "believes that the UK Government must implement improved wealth taxation to support the public finances, and devolve a greater range of powers, including fiscal powers, to Scotland, to aid investment and growth; believes that it is the duty of governments to protect the most vulnerable in society; is concerned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent comments regarding social security spending; calls on the Prime Minister to rule out cuts to support for disabled people and people living in poverty, and further believes that any UK Government decision to increase defence spending must not come at the expense of Scotland's public finances in the form of cuts to the block grant.” Further details available for S7M-01395.4 5. Craig Hoy S7M-01395.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-01395 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget), leave out from “welcomes” to end and insert “believes that the UK Budget should prioritise economic growth by avoiding further tax rises, keeping fuel costs down and supporting investment in Scotland; calls on the Scottish Government to control unsustainable welfare spending and deliver meaningful public service reform, and calls on both governments to reduce the burden on workers and businesses, and to support economic growth.” Further details available for S7M-01395.5 6. Liam McArthur S7M-01395.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-01395 in the name of Jenny Gilruth (Scotland’s Priorities for the UK Budget), leave out from “welcomes” to end and insert “believes that the focus of the UK Budget should be economic growth; further believes that the most impactful measure that the UK Government can take to improve economic growth is to reverse the economic damage of Brexit by negotiating a new growth and defence partnership with the EU, including joining the single market and a new customs union, and calls on the UK Government to take measures to support people with the cost of living, including cutting fuel duty by 10p." Further details available for S7M-01395.1