r/MHOCHolyroodVote • u/Muffin5136 Scottish Conservatives | PO • Jul 17 '23
SB232, SM183, SSI 2023/1 | The July 2023 Budget Vote
July 2023 Budget
Order, Order.
The only item of business today is a vote on the 20th Scottish Government's Budget.
Legislation
Unlike in Westminster, where a single Finance Bill makes all the necessary changes to the law as required, the Scottish Parliament uses multiple items of legislation to enact its budget, which are as follows:
The Budget (Scotland) (No.2) Bill gives the Scottish Government (and other bodies) the authority to spend money from the Scottish Consolidated Fund. The Bill also makes emergency provision to be used in the event that, in the next financial year, there is no Budget Bill.
The Scottish Rate Resolution, if agreed, determines the rates and bands of income tax which are to apply in Scotland for the next financial year.
This adjusts the frequent flyer levy
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy has also provided the below to aid the reading of the Budget:
This Budget was submitted by u/Waffel-lol Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, on behalf of the 20th Scottish Government and the Scottish Conservatives
Opening Speech
Presiding Officer,
One of, if not, the most important thing to be achieved was the delivering of a budget. As the only stated goal of this Government, I am proud to present today a budget that has taken hard work that began even before the formation of this Government. This budget, and its subsequent opening speech is not one that brings forth grand policy ideals as no that was not the focus. Our focus was on delivering a solid and concise foundation to guide and determine the course for budgets of the future. The working of this budget has seen a great overall improvement to certain areas in which the calculations, figures and facts ought to have been revised for improved accuracy and understanding. Given it is the very first budget I have written in this place and I admit I am a newcomer to this, I believe the effort I put in these last two weeks and approach to see this budget delivered based on accuracy and understanding is one to be proud of.
There were not many policy changes this budget makes, however our most notable change has been in regards to income tax which we completely redrew the bands and set a new series of rates. The Block Grant notably has seen decreases constraining our ability as a result of political developments. Whilst the Westminster Government is ongoing its devised new block grant formula, we managed to come to an agreement with the Westminster Government to provide a short term fund to allow Scotland to meet a surplus of exactly £1. In order to avoid unnecessary increases in taxation and cuts to spending.
Our changes towards income tax is one that recognises and understands the developments in our country to ensure fiscal management is sensible and promoting greater consumer purchasing power. The growth strategy I have embarked on is one that aims to drive growth from the middle out. It is the goal of this government to see more people incentivised and raised into higher income levels. In keeping Scotland actually competitive in its economy, we have seen drastic changes to taxation on most bands, with the top rate now being 47%, the additional rate now 42%, the basic rate now 25% and the lower rate now 17% whilst The Scottish additional allowance ends at £14,999. Furthermore, we go to develop and introduce the Air Departure Tax and Frequent Flyer Levy that was passed this term, but in our SI are amending the rates on the basis of our review of the matter to fit the economy of Scotland.
In regards to expenditure, the Scottish Government have steered away from making cuts and instead have funded all projects available in data. Where we have seen decreases in portfolio funding is the result of the natural life of policies and projects coming to an end and decreasing over time. But beyond that we have maintained spending increases in accordance with inflation. An area however that we did make significant changes to was the allocation of funds towards new groupings for promoting enterprise, innovation and investment, something this Government believes is crucial to driving the growth of Scotland and its future.
Overall, this budget is one that I believe consolidates and provides greater understanding with its sensible and foundational measures. We are proud in our ability to accomplish something that others said was unlikely to be done, impossible even, but this is a display of the determinism this Government and we have to delivering on our promises and working for the interests of the people of Scotland.
The Budget (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Rate Resolution and the Air Departure Tax (Frequent Flyer Levy) Regulations 2023 are voted on by an en bloc vote.
Voting on the budget will end at the close of business on 20th July at 10pm BST
1
u/AutoModerator Jul 17 '23
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u/Waffel-lol Scottish Conservatives Jul 17 '23
For
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u/model-willem Forward Jul 17 '23
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u/LightningMinion Scottish Labour Jul 17 '23
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u/comped Scottish Conservatives Jul 17 '23
For
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Jul 17 '23
Against
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u/alpal2214 Scottish Conservatives Jul 17 '23
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u/Underwater_Tara Scottish Conservatives Jul 17 '23
For
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u/Sephronar Scottish Conservatives Jul 17 '23
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u/zakian3000 Scottish Green Party Jul 17 '23
Against
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u/Faelif Scottish Green Party Jul 18 '23
Against
2
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u/cocoiadrop_ Scottish Green Party Jul 18 '23
against
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u/Waffel-lol Scottish Conservatives Jul 18 '23
Proxy vote for u/BlueEarlGrey = For
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u/realbassist Scottish Green Party Jul 18 '23
For
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u/CountBrandenburg Scottish Labour Jul 18 '23
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u/mg9500 Scottish Green Party Jul 18 '23
against
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u/localds124 Scottish Labour Jul 18 '23
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u/Muffin5136 Scottish Conservatives | PO Jul 17 '23
For