The Scotsman

‘Post-independen­ce Scotland would prosper, despite GERS’ says Mackay

- By SCOTT MACNAB

Scotland would have a “prosperous and fairer society” after independen­ce, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has told MSPS.

But the prospect of a fresh vote on leaving the UK – currently being considered by Nicola Sturgeon – came under fire from opposition MSPS who said it would lead to a fresh wave of austerity cuts.

Mr Mackay was defending Scotland’s economic strength at Holyrood yesterday as he faced a grilling over the recent Government Expenditur­e and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report last month which laid out a £13.4 billion shortfall in Scotland in 201718 between public spending

and taxes raised to pay for them. Mr Mackay: “If we had the full levers of independen­ce we would be able to stimulate our economy even further and have a more prosperous and fairer society.”

The finance secretary said the £13.4bn deficit was only a “notional” figure and the prod- uct of the “current constituti­onal position, not Scottish independen­ce.”

But Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said the GERS figures show the “reckless folly” which would come about with independen­ce.

“What the GERS figures tell us is that the union dividend in Scotland in Scotland now amounts to £1,882 for every man woman and child which leads to record higher public spending per capita in Scotland of £1,576,” Mr Fraser said.

“That’s spending more than the UK average on schools and hospitals – on all the things that matter to us.

“It would be reckless folly to put these fiscal transfers from the rest of the UK at risk by pursuing a policy of Scottish separation.”

 ??  ?? 0 Derek Mackay defended Scotland’s economic strength
0 Derek Mackay defended Scotland’s economic strength

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom