Social and Economic Success

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 13 January 2016.

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Photo of Cameron Buchanan Cameron Buchanan Conservative

I think that the SNP is a great example of giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

The main point to underline is that policy decisions cannot be assessed in isolation. Time and again it has been shown that policies must take into account the context in which they will be applied, including social, economic and political factors. That applies on two levels. First, there has to be a full understanding of how the problem that is to be fixed or the benefit that is to be gained by a policy fits in with other priorities. Secondly, all direct and indirect consequences have to be weighed up. After all, experience has shown that behavioural responses to Government policies do not necessarily match policy makers’ intentions all the time.

That ties in with Alex Rowley’s statement about using the full powers that are at the current and future disposal of the Scottish Parliament. Although it is tempting to use Parliament’s powers and to legislate for every issue, spending decisions must be balanced by fiscal restraint. After all, such decision making and trade-offs are the difficult business of accountable politics. The key point is that, as we strive to achieve social and economic success, we must ensure that social goals are achieved and that we maintain the economic competitiveness that drives employment. That is not to say that the two are somehow a trade-off—a competitive economy is a fundamental driver of social and economic progress.

To retain a successful economy and high levels of employment, it is vital that Scotland remains competitive within the UK and internationally. We must underpin our policy aims for Scotland with the overarching objective of making it an attractive place in which to live, work and invest. Despite the rhetoric that often surrounds debates about tax, the aim of a low-tax approach—I am talking here about direct taxes—is to foster the conditions in which jobs are created so that economic opportunities are as widely available as possible, which allows social aims to be met.