The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 2713 contributions
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
That is my point: where should the money come from within the Scottish Government’s capital budget? For example, it has increased the capital budget for the police by 12.4 per cent. Should it not have done that? The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s capital budget has increased, too. Should that have not been done, either? How should the Scottish Government respond to what is, to be honest, a polemic?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
On capital, you say in your submission:
“low investment is acknowledged to be one of the key impediments to growth both at the Scottish and UK levels ... public sector investment helps de-risk private investment and therefore cutting public investment will adversely affect overall levels of investment in the Scottish economy and consequently growth.”
What are the long-term implications for Scotland of the reduction in capital?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
Yes. The figures in your paper are backed up by the Scottish Parliament information centre. For the highest rate, on earnings over £125,140, it expects that the mechanical income would be £56 million but that, post-behavioural change, it would be only £8 million. For earnings of £75,000 up to £125,140, £144 million would be raised on paper, but only £74 million in reality. Do you recognise those figures?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
I want to go back to my first question, because you have not had an opportunity to answer it. It was about whether the budget delivers on the missions that the Scottish Government has set itself.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
However, all else being equal, economic growth is a positive thing. Do you agree?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
In terms of that—this will be my last question, and other witnesses can answer it as well—has the Scottish Government done enough in the budget to prioritise economic growth?
10:00Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
Chris, what do you feel? You have been critical of the Scottish Government not increasing the Scottish child payment to £30 although, obviously, it is going up to £26.70. Both the Scottish National Party and the Labour Party promised in their manifestos that it would be £20 by 2026 and it is already going to go up this year to £26.70, which is much higher than it would have been if it had risen in line with inflation. How do you feel about that and about the issue of economic growth?
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
China’s economy is growing at only 3.3 per cent.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
It would depend on what we spent it on, too.
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Meeting date: 9 January 2024
Kenneth Gibson
Of course.