Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland 2010-2011

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) is a National Statistics publication. It estimates the contribution of revenue raised in Scotland toward the goods and services provided for the benefit of Scotland. The estimates in this publication are consistent with the UK Public Sector Finance Statistics published in January 2012.
• Three estimates of Scotland's public sector accounts are presented in GERS, (i) excluding North Sea revenue, (ii) including a per capita share of North Sea revenue and (iii) including an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue.

Public Sector Expenditure for Scotland

Table E.1: Public Sector Total Managed Expenditure: Scotland 2006-07 to 2010-11

• In 2010-11, total public sector expenditure for Scotland, including a per capita share of debt interest payments, was £63.8 billion, 9.3 per cent of UK public sector expenditure.

Scottish Public Sector Revenue

Table E.2: Total Current Revenue: Scotland 2006-07 to 2010-11

• In 2010-11, total Scottish non-North Sea public sector revenue was estimated at £45.2 billion, (8.3 per cent of total UK non-North Sea revenue). Including a per capita share of North Sea revenue, total Scottish public sector revenue was estimated at £45.9 billion (8.3 per cent of UK total public sector revenue). When an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue is included, total Scottish public sector revenue was estimated at £53.1 billion (9.6 per cent of UK total public sector revenue).

Scotland's Overall Fiscal Position

• GERS provides two measures of Scotland's fiscal position, the current budget balance and the net fiscal balance. The current balance shows the difference between current revenue and current expenditure. It measures the degree to which taxpayers meet the cost of paying for public services and a contribution to debt interest payments.
• The net fiscal balance measures the difference between total public sector expenditure (including capital expenditure) and public sector revenue. It therefore includes public sector capital investment, such as the construction of roads, hospitals, and schools, which yields benefits not just to current taxpayers but also to future taxpayers.

Current Budget Balance

Table E.3: Current Budget Balance: Scotland and UK 2006-07 to 2010-11

• In 2010-11, the estimated current budget balance for the public sector in Scotland was a deficit of £14.3 billion (12.0 per cent of GDP) excluding North Sea revenue, a deficit of £13.6 billion (11.2 per cent of GDP) including a per capita share of North Sea revenue, or a deficit of £6.4 billion (4.4 per cent of GDP) including an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue.
• In 2010-11, the UK as a whole ran a current budget deficit, including 100 per cent of North Sea revenue, of £97.8 billion (6.6 per cent of GDP).

Net Fiscal Balance

Table E.4: Net Fiscal Balance: Scotland and UK 2006-07 to 2010-11

• In 2010-11, Scotland's estimated net fiscal balance was a deficit of £18.6 billion (15.6 per cent of GDP) when excluding North Sea revenue, a deficit of £17.9 billion (14.7 per cent of GDP) when including a per capita share of North Sea revenue or a deficit of £10.7 billion (7.4 per cent of GDP) when an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue is included.
• In 2010-11, the equivalent UK position including 100 per cent of North Sea revenue, referred to in the UK Public Sector Accounts as 'net borrowing', was a deficit of £136.1 billion (or 9.2 per cent of GDP).