Scottish Labour Party Debate: Scotland's Finances and the Cost of Living

Michael Marra S6M-08686 That the Parliament considers sound financial management and the responsible use of taxpayers’ money to be key priorities for any government, and that this is especially important at a time when households and businesses face increased bills and expenses due to the ongoing cost of living crisis; understands that the record of the Scottish Government over the last 16 years has been characterised by failed financial interventions, incompetence, waste and inefficiency, which have to date cost in excess of £3.5 billion of public money; recognises that Audit Scotland has repeatedly highlighted the need for greater transparency, including during the audit of the Scottish Government’s consolidated accounts for 2021-22; considers that a culture of opaqueness and secrecy has prevailed in the Scottish Government in recent years, and that this has had a detrimental impact on the ability of the Parliament and the public to hold the government to account and ensure that value for money is being delivered; believes that, in these uncertain economic times, taxpayers across Scotland must have confidence that their money is being spent wisely, and calls on the Scottish Government to commit to prioritising openness, transparency and competence in the management of Scotland’s finances. Tom Arthur S6M-08686.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-08686 in the name of Michael Marra (Scotland's Finances and the Cost of Living), leave out from "failed" to end and insert "balanced budgets, unqualified accounts and, since 2018, the most progressive income tax system in the UK; considers that this is in stark contrast to the decade of austerity that Scotland has faced from successive UK governments; recognises that the Scottish Government has worked constructively with Audit Scotland, the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee to improve the budgetary process and parliamentary scrutiny of Scotland’s finances, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue to prioritise openness, transparency and competence in the management of Scotland’s finances." Liz Smith S6M-08686.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-08686 in the name of Michael Marra (Scotland's Finances and the Cost of Living), insert at end “, and further calls on the Scottish Government to address the concerns about the inconsistency in financial data sets that were set out by the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee in paragraph 43 of its report, Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2023-24: Scotland's Public Finances in 2023-24 and the Impact of the Cost of Living and Public Service Reform.”