New Scottish Government official figures have once again confirmed that we are financially better off as part of the UK. The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report, a National Statistics publication assessed by the independent UK Statistics Authority, shows how all nations and regions in the UK benefit from the pooling and sharing of resources and risk.
This irons out the huge volatility of North Sea oil, which last year saw a steep rise in revenue as prices soared in the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the UK Government implemented a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.
Public expenditure per person in Scotland on public services was £2,217 higher than the UK average, protecting our NHS, schools, and communities.
Scotland’s deficit in 2022/23 was £19.1billion – more than the annual cost of the entire NHS (£17.6 billion) – and nearly double the figure for the whole UK as a percentage of GDP.
Including North Sea oil revenues, the Scottish Government’s own figures for 2022/23 show:
Public spending in Scotland was £19,459 per person (£106.6 billion in total), while revenues raised in Scotland were £15,967 per person (£87.5 billion - a difference of £19.1 billion).
Public expenditure per person in Scotland on public services was £2,217 higher than the UK average, and revenues were £696 higher than the UK average.
Scotland makes up 8.2 per cent of the UK population, but 9.2 of UK public spending is in Scotland.
The combined value of spending and revenue in Scotland compared to the UK –the UK dividend - was £1,521 per person.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said:
“There is no positive case for breaking up the UK, as these official figures produced by the economists in the Scottish civil service confirm.
“As part of the United Kingdom, we - alongside most nations and regions in the UK - have more to spend on vital public services as we pool and share resources and risk across the entire country.
“This is a far better way to protect our schools and hospitals than rely on the extreme volatility of North Sea oil.
“With record waiting times in the NHS, community cuts, and tough challenges for businesses, the SNP and Greens should end their obsession with economic vandalism and focus on the people’s priorities.
“As part of the UK we are stronger together, and we can build a brighter future for every community in every nation and region.”
GERS
The treasury control 40% of Scotland's expenditure and 70% of Scotland's taxation.
The Gers report contained the word “estimate “ 166 times yet you take it as gospel… your own unionist extreme leader Kevin Hague also stated that “Gers can't tell us what an independent Scotland's figures would look like, that's absolutely true”
Gers also proposes that Scotland's 8.9% of the uk population is responsible for 25% of the uk’s total deficit.
Save 15 billion alone by:
2billion on uk ‘service costs’
3 billion on a Defence budget similar to Norway or even ireland
1 billion on Scotland ‘s own international presence
4.5 billion on servicing UK debt
2 billion on fairer taxation or even 30 billion like a…
GERS
A LEADING economist has called on the Scottish Government to stop publishing the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures, insisting they do not reflect the country’s financial position.
Retired Professor David Simpson, founding director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at Strathclyde University, made the call in an article he has written for The Sunday National.
He argues the GERS figures do not present Scotland’s real financial situation as some UK spending in reserved areas such as defence and foreign affairs is apportioned to the Scottish Government “as if” they spend it when they do not.
He argues that the annual statistics are misinterpreted every year by opponents of independence who use them as…
The trouble is that the SNP and the unhinged Greens have no intension of ending their economic vandalism any time soon, the utter destruction of both of these obnoxious parties can't come soon enough.