Ruth Maguire MSP has today criticised the UK Government’s decision to abandon its Autumn budget which allows Scotland to set its own spending and taxation plans.
The announcement was made in a statement by the UK Treasury which said: “Now is not the right time to outline long-term plans – people want to see us focused on the here and now.
“So we are confirming today that there will be no Budget this autumn.”
The decision was criticised by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, who told the BBC that Chancellor Rishi Sunak ‘didn’t even have the courtesy’ to inform her that the Autumn Budget was being scrapped.
The SNP MSP for Cunninghame South said: “The fact that the UK Autumn Budget was cancelled without any consultation to the Scottish Government or other devolved administrations shows how Scotland is, at best, an afterthought in the minds of UK Ministers.
“The vast majority of Scotland’s tax and spending decisions are still taken at Westminster. A UK budget is therefore essential to ensure transparency and certainty for the Scottish Parliament’s budget setting process – and for the vital public services that depend on it.
“This also underlines the urgent case for Holyrood having complete control of all economic decisions which affect Scotland. The decision to scrap the budget at short notice with no consultation will only serve to convince people of this even further.”
Ruth Maguire MSP 