Ben Macpherson: Budget protects public services

Pay rise for public sector workers, lower taxes for many and cash for culture, too

The Scottish Government’s budget protects low and middle income earners and delivers for public services and public sector workers, says SNP MSP Ben Macpherson for Edinburgh Northern and Leith – after Finance Secretary Derek Mackay laid his budget plans before the Scottish Parliament.

The budget will deliver progressive reforms to Scotland’s income tax system, with modest increases on high earners – while a majority of taxpayers will pay less than in the rest of the UK. Polling has found that most Scots back an increase in income tax for those who can afford it.

Mr Mackay also outlined plans to spend an additional £400 million on the NHS, an ambitious expansion in childcare, more spending on broadband, extra funding for our police and fire services, and a pay rise for hard-working public sector employees.

Local SNP MSP Ben Macpherson said: “This is a budget for a stronger economy and a fairer society – with increased funding for our NHS and protection for low and middle income earners. 

“The Scottish Government is proposing lower income tax for the vast majority of Scots, with every worker earning less than £33,000 set to pay less in tax next year – while protecting the public services that we all value across Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole. Under these proposals, for the vast majority of people, Scotland will be the lowest taxed part of the UK with strong public services for all. 

“This budget proposes an additional £400 million for our NHS, a pay rise for public sector workers, significant investment for building more affordable homes, additional funding for the arts and culture sector, and a £4 billion investment in infrastructure including in superfast broadband – as well as significant investments in research, education and childcare. I am also pleased that the Scottish Government has committed to ensure that local government continues to receive a fair funding settlement, despite further cuts to the Scottish Government’s budget by the UK Tory Government.

“Overall, this draft budget package proposes investment to support our businesses, our people and our society – in the face of Tory cuts and Brexit uncertainty, it seizes opportunities for Scotland to develop and thrive in the future. We in the SNP are committed to making Scotland fairer and more prosperous, with the best and fairest deal for taxpayers anywhere in the UK, and this draft budget is part of making that progress together.”

The SNP Government has also committed £248.7m to culture, tourism and major events in 2018-19, an increase of £22.5 million in the draft budget, increasing culture funding by almost 10% and ensured that local authorities have the means to protect funding for the arts and culture, despite drastic Westminster cuts to Scotland’s budget.

Concerns regarding declining revenue from the National Lottery and the effect this would have on culture in Scotland were raised with the UK government by SNP ministers last month – income for good causes reduced by 14% between 2015/16 and 2016/17 and by a further 4% in the first half of 2017/18. However the calls from SNP ministers for a UK government “recovery plan” to offset the cuts have so far fallen on deaf ears.

The SNP government has stepped in to help mitigate this risk with £6.6 million of additional funding for Creative Scotland for its Regularly Funded programme.

Ben Macpherson MSP said: “With nearly a 10% increase in funding – this SNP budget clearly recognises culture as an important means of achieving our wider social and economic ambitions. 

“Against a backdrop of Tory government austerity and their blind pursuit of a hard Brexit – this budget, the most challenging budget in the history of the Scottish Parliament, will maintain provision for Creative Scotland over the next three years and invest a further £6.6 million to help protect the arts in the face of declining Lottery receipts, as well as providing £10 million in a dedicated screen unit.

“The SNP Government is committed to creating a culture strategy that will give everyone the opportunity to take part in or contribute to cultural life in Scotland, because participation in cultural activity inspires us to question, challenge and see the world in different ways, and to learn about our own heritage and that of others.

“The SNP recognises that culture sits at the heart of our quality of life and wellbeing, and we will continue creating the conditions for a confident cultural sector in Scotland, so that our artists can be nurtured, developed and supported in their work.”