The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Outrage as Swinney decides to write off £425m poll tax debt

- By Michael Blackley

MILLIONS of pounds i n unpaid poll tax is to be written off, even though a Holyrood committee warned that such a plan should be delayed.

Finance Secretary John Swinney is due to go ahead with proposals to scrap Scotland’s £425 million of outstandin­g poll tax debt this week.

The move comes after the Scottish parliament’s finance committee last week said a public consultati­on must take place on the issue before the introducti­on of any law.

The initiative was announced by then First Minister Alex Salmond in September after it emerged that councils were using informatio­n obtained from the electoral roll following the record turnout for the independen­ce referendum to chase poll tax debts dating back more than 20 years.

But the finance committee report said: ‘The committee understand­s and appreciate­s the reasoning behind the Scottish Government’s wish to introduce legislatio­n, but makes clear its expectatio­n consultati­on takes place prior to the introducti­on of legislatio­n.’

Local government umbrella body Cosla fears the move will lead to an increase in council tax avoidance.

Scottish Tory finance spokesman Gavin Brown, a member of the finance committee, said: ‘I’m disappoint­ed but not surprised that the Scottish Government is unwilling to have a consultati­on. They talk a good game about listening to the public and stakeholde­rs, but when it suits them they are perfectly happy to ignore those same stakeholde­rs.

‘The short consultati­on held by the finance committee sug- gested that the policy will not be as popular as they first thought and it appears they just want to push this through as quickly as possible.

‘Salmond has blown a gasket and decreed this is happening, with John Swinney having to phone up Cosla five minutes before FMQs to say this is what’s happening and that’s it – no discussion, no consultati­on. It’s a political stunt by a man who knew he was on the way out.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We wanted to address the use of informatio­n gathered from voter registrati­on to pursue historical debts from a tax that is discredite­d.

‘We have been able to bring forward legislatio­n on an expedited timetable so that it can be in force for the start of the next financial year.

‘While there has not been a full public consultati­on, we have consulted Cosla and individual local authoritie­s, which are the only bodies that could be adversely affected by our proposals.’

 ??  ?? ANNOUNCED MOVE: Former First Minister Alex Salmond
ANNOUNCED MOVE: Former First Minister Alex Salmond
 ??  ?? ABOLITION PROPOSAL: Finance Secretary John Swinney
ABOLITION PROPOSAL: Finance Secretary John Swinney

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom