Scottish Secretary Alister Jack responds to GERS 2020-21 figures
Stats reveal unprecedented level of support from UK Government as Scotland tackles pandemic
Commenting on the Scottish Government鈥檚 GERS figures, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:
These figures show how all of us in Scotland have benefitted from being part of a strong United Kingdom. Public spending in Scotland reached nearly 拢100billion as we tackled the pandemic and protected lives and livelihoods.
Unprecedented UK Government support has allowed us to treat patients, vaccinate people, protect a third of our workforce through furlough and issue crucial loans to more than 90,000 Scottish businesses.
We have been able to weather the Covid storm as part of the UK but we now face the challenge of rebuilding our economy and supporting our heroic NHS and other public services. Our focus remains on that task.
We have faced a terrible crisis far, far stronger as one UK - and we will build back better as one UK.
Background
- Total public spending for the benefit of Scotland increased from 拢81.9bn in 2019-20, to 拢99.1bn in 2020-21.
- Increased spending on the pandemic amounted to 拢17.2 billion 鈥� equivalent to more than 拢3,100 per person in Scotland.
- Scotland鈥檚 notional deficit rose from 拢15.8 billion in 2019-20 to 拢36.3 billion in 2020-21. This is more than Scotland鈥檚 entire health, education, transport, housing and culture budgets for the year, which was cumulative 拢35.8 billion in 2020-21.
- As a percentage of Scotland鈥檚 GDP the notional deficit increased from -8.8% in 2019-20 to -22.4% in 2020-21. For comparison, the UK鈥檚 deficit rose from -2.6% of GDP to -14.2% over the same period. New members of the EU are required to have a deficit less than 3% of GDP.
- Public spending per person was 拢1,828 higher in Scotland than the UK average. This was an increase from 拢1,754 the previous year.
- Tax revenues in Scotland were 拢382 per person lower than the UK average, compared with 拢290 lower the previous year.
- The 鈥楿nion dividend鈥� (reflecting Scotland鈥檚 lower tax revenues and higher public spending) was 拢2,210 per person compared with 拢2,043 the previous year.
- North Sea revenues fell from 拢643m in 2019/20 to 拢414m in the last financial year.