Growth Deal

Part of Scotland – in the House of Commons at on 8 January 2020.

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Photo of Alister Jack Alister Jack The Secretary of State for Scotland

The hon Gentleman makes a good point. Were separation to happen, for an independent Scotland to join the European Union, under the Maastricht criteria its fiscal deficit would have to be 3% of GDP or less. That simply is not the case—Scotland’s fiscal deficit currently runs at more than 7%—so as things stand the economics are pure fantasy.