Elizabeth Smith: ...and rightly, social policy in the area has all been about widening access. No one can argue against the principle of widening access, since it enhances social mobility, promotes better job prospects, is inclusive of more vulnerable groups and can help to reduce poverty. It is essential that we look beyond just exam grades. Widening access should not, however, just be about specific rigid...
Elizabeth Smith: ...and economic confidence, to name just two. As Jamie Halcro Johnston rightly said, it is essential for delivering better public services, raising the standard of living and delivering more secure jobs and investment, and it is the prerequisite to addressing our social ills and improving the wellbeing of the whole country. It goes without saying that the biggest challenge that we currently...
Elizabeth Smith: If this budget process has achieved anything, it is the full exposure of the fundamental divide in Scottish politics, which is between those of us who believe that policies to stimulate jobs, investment and economic growth and to encourage aspiration should be the top priority, and those—principally ministers in the Scottish Government and their bedfellows, the Greens—who believe that the...
Elizabeth Smith: ..., because that debate matters, as does the future prosperity of Scotland. Yet again, I want to put on the record why our approach, on the Conservative side of the chamber, is about priority for jobs, investment, economic growth, reducing the tax burden, supporting local government and ensuring that there is lasting public sector reform. In recent days, the cabinet secretary and various...
Elizabeth Smith: ...in that regard. We should note, at this point, that it is the common view of many economic commentators and of key business groups that Scotland is in desperate need of many more highly paid jobs. There are encouraging signs in the energy sector, green technology, gaming and financial services, but we need to address the other sectors and to ensure that there is a just transition for oil...
Elizabeth Smith: ...the income tax differential between Scotland and the rest of the UK, she is sending the right message that Scotland is open for business, for economic growth, for investment, for innovation and for job creation, because it is abundantly clear that those in business and industry, including Sir Tom Hunter, do not think that it is? With regard to local government, which seems to be getting...
Elizabeth Smith: I am very glad to hear Mr Swinney make those comments. To give him credit, that was a difficult job in 2016, and he did it. The Deputy First Minister has done the job in 2023. Does he disagree with Ash Regan that this fiscal framework is worse than the previous one?
Elizabeth Smith: I begin my summing up by again thanking the officials behind the scenes, who did a very difficult and complex job. Although I know that there are scrutiny issues—those points have been made well, and the Finance and Public Administration Committee has already expressed concerns about that scrutiny, so we will perhaps look to rectify that when we update the fiscal framework in future—the...
Elizabeth Smith: ...the Scottish Government’s support for the sector as “short-term in nature and precarious in reality” and warned that one arts organisation in three is at risk of insolvency, with possible job losses of 900. The First Minister recently said: “The sector should be assured that this Government values the role of culture”.—[ Official Report , 5 September 2023; c 17.] So, will those...
Elizabeth Smith: ...finally acknowledge the widespread concern of the Scottish business community that Scotland is the highest-taxed part of the UK, with the serious detrimental effect that that has had on innovation, jobs and growth? Secondly, she has said that the Scottish Government is commissioning a new tax group to look at future strategy. Given the urgency of the situation, what will the Scottish...
Elizabeth Smith: I am in my last minute. We are unashamedly on the side of promoting jobs, transferable skills and incentives to keep people in the workforce. There has been lots of chat from the SNP about that, but we need a lot more detail on exactly what policies are to be put in place. Finally, I ask the minister, please, to ditch the Greens when it comes to this matter, because they do not have the first...
Elizabeth Smith: ...picture—namely, that although some of the migration into Scotland is coming from different destinations, there are very positive signs in relation to people who are coming here for better-paid jobs. Does he acknowledge that?
Elizabeth Smith: ...of £500 and probably nearer £1,000 extra in income tax and higher council taxes. Those people matter because, as Mr Swinney knows only too well, Scotland is in desperate need of more well-paid jobs.
Elizabeth Smith: There is no absurdity whatsoever in many of the statistics that the forecasters have set out about the need for Scotland to have many more higher-paid jobs so that we are improving productivity and attracting people to live and work in Scotland. In terms of all the things that the Government provides, there is no absurdity in that either, because we desperately need that increase in tax take...
Elizabeth Smith: ...Greer nonetheless accept the comments from many people in business and industry—in particular, groups such as the Confederation of British Industry—that Scotland is desperate for more well-paid jobs?
Elizabeth Smith: ...point, we should note the received wisdom of many economic commentators and of key business groups such as the Confederation of British Industry that we are in desperate need of more highly paid jobs. That point was raised during the event with the Scottish Fiscal Commission yesterday. Scotland is far too prone to having a low capacity for economic growth, and, as we heard yesterday, that...
Elizabeth Smith: ...been there throughout the whole time that the SNP has been in government, but it has not been using them to deliver on the clear priorities of the Scottish people: supporting household incomes and jobs; sustained and consistent support for our business and high streets; and the delivery of our public services. Many of those services are delivered by local government, which we know recently...
Elizabeth Smith: ...those communities want the highest standards of animal welfare to be adopted everywhere. They want good land management that safeguards animal welfare, enhances our countryside and preserves the jobs and livelihoods that are connected to it. Despite what Mr Smyth might allege, my colleagues and I whole-heartedly support them in those aspirations. As I see it, the main challenge of the bill...
Elizabeth Smith: ...a good point in his intervention: it is about qualitative as well as quantitative changes. We have to look at the outcomes of decisions. It is extremely welcome news that 4,400 inward investment jobs were delivered in 2020-21, on top of the 4,408 new jobs that were created by foreign direct investment, especially in advanced engineering and electronics, but there are qualitative judgments...
Elizabeth Smith: ...finishing. Today’s statement and debate have shown just how much there is to do. Westminster has important responsibility, but so, too, does this Parliament. Governments need to get on with the jobs that they were elected to do without any distractions or eyes off the ball. In my view, the public deserve nothing less.