Finance Secretary John Swinney today welcomed new figures that show that Scottish GDP grew by 0.5 per cent - the strongest since the second quarter of 2010 - and manufactured exports grew by 0.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2011 (July-September).  Mr Swinney stepped up the call for a UK-wide jobs summit to agree an immediate programme of employment creation, in response to rising unemp

Responding to the Chancellor’s statement on the recommendations of Sir John Vickers’ Independent Commission on Banking, SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP welcomed implementation of the proposals, but called for assurances that their introduction does not undermine SME lending or jobs in Scotland.

Mr Hosie – a Member of the Treasury Select Committee – said:

Commenting on the publication of public sector employment and labour market statistics, SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP pointed out that the rate of private sector employment is now at its highest level since devolution, having risen more than public sector employment had fallen – the opposite to the position across the UK as a whole.

The SNP today said the latest Scottish Social Attitudes Survey showed a
“surge in support for independence” as 65 per cent of people said that
they would support independence on the basis that they would be better
off.

The survey also found that 43 per cent of people in Scotland backed the
Scottish Parliament making all the decisions for Scotland – a massive
increase of 15

One of Scotland's leading entrepreneurs has dismissed George Osborne’s claims over the impact independence will have on the Scottish economy saying business is more concerned with current taxation and employment.

Figures from GERS (Government Expenditure & Revenue in Scotland) show how an independent Scotland is better placed to fund pensions and welfare compared to the UK.

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