Chancellor urged to deliver Budget of ‘investment and opportunity’

The UK Autumn Budget should focus on “investment and opportunity”, with more funding for public services, infrastructure and measures to eradicate child poverty, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

The Finance Secretary pledged to work with the UK Government and devolved administrations to ensure the Autumn Budget on October 30 “works for all four nations and delivers the change that people need”.

She called for the Chancellor to:

• change the rules around borrowing to allow for greater investment in public infrastructure and services
• reverse the forecast cut to capital funding, enabling the Scottish Government to invest more in hospitals, schools and transport
• abolish the two child limit
• deliver an Essentials Guarantee providing basic necessities for those who need them most
• take greater steps towards delivering net zero, including by reforming motoring taxation
• ensure any changes to tax take account of Scotland’s distinct and devolved tax system

Ms Robison said:

“When I met with the Chancellor last month, we were in full agreement that we must put people first in all that we do. This principle must be at the heart of the decisions at the Autumn Budget.

“I want to work with the Chancellor, and the governments in Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that we have a Budget that works for all four nations and delivers the change that people need.

“It does not need to be another Budget of challenge and constraint. Instead it can be a Budget about investment and opportunity.

“We’re calling for measures to tackle child poverty and grow our economy. We’d like to see new rules around borrowing that support investment in public services. We want the UK Government to work hand in hand with the devolved administrations to provide the funding to deliver on our priorities.

“These are the choices I encourage the Chancellor to make.”

Background

UK Autumn Budget: Letter to UK Government - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Finance Secretary also confirmed that the Scottish Budget, outlining the Scottish Government’s proposed tax and spending plans for 2025-26, will be delivered on 4 December.

The two child limit restricts universal credit and child tax credits to the first two children in most households, if born after April 2017.