Brown’s Billion Pound Tax Rip Off

SNP leader Mr John Swinney MSP today (Wednesday) revealed that Scottish tax-payers and the Scottish health service are being ripped off by almost a billion pounds as a result of last month’s Budget.

Releasing new figures, Mr Swinney said the tax hikes announced in the Budget means the Treasury will take an extra £1.1 billion from individual tax-payers and businesses in Scotland next year.

But according to the Scottish Executive’s own figures, public spending will increase by just £224 million - a fraction of the tax rise. Mr Swinney said:

“I am sure that most people don’t mind paying extra tax as long as those tax rises lead to real improvements in the NHS. But it is outrageous to demand extra taxes from Scotland if those taxes are not being used to benefit Scottish patients.

“This shows why it is essential for the Scottish Parliament to have full tax powers. That would mean that all taxes raised in Scotland would stay in Scotland. The Scottish people would decide how much tax they paid and what was done with that tax, not politicians in London.

“At present the London Treasury decides how much people in Scotland should be taxed and how much of that tax should be given back to Scotland in public spending. Today we have exposed the full extent of the rip-off.

“The Scottish Parliament has control over health policy but no control over the money needed to implement that policy. It is a job half-done.

“It’s no wonder there have been dramatic cuts in bed numbers in Scotland and that the Government has been reduced to fiddling waiting list figures.”

Shadow Finance Minister Mr Alasdair Morgan MSP, said:

“The Government has been repeatedly forced to admit that over time Scotland contributes more to the UK coffers than we get in spending. These new figures show yet again that Scotland is not only paying its own way, but being ripped off by the Treasury.

“Scotland remains a wealthy nation but until we have the full powers of an independent nation we will continue to see our wealth used to prop up the failed policies of London Labour.”