Scotland's deficit grows by £5.1bn, Gers figures show
The latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) figures reported 'overall public finances in Scotland weakening, as expenditure grew faster than revenue'.
For 2024-25, Scotland has a net fiscal deficit of minus £26.5 billion – an increase of £5.1 billion from the previous year – with this the representing minus 11.7% of the country's GDP.
The UK deficit for 2024-25 was minus 5.1% of GDP, less than half the rate of Scotland.
The Scottish Government report said the 'deterioration' between this year and last was in part linked to a fall in North Sea revenue, but it added: 'The difference is primarily explained by movements in non-North Sea revenue and spending, with Scottish revenue growing more slowly and Scottish expenditure growing more quickly than the UK.'
Revenue in Scotland grew by 1.5% in 2024-25 to £91.4 billion.
Spending increased to £117.6 billion in 2024-25, up from £111.4 billion in 2023-24.
'As a share of GDP, public spending remained at historically high levels in 2024,' the report noted.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said the figures show Scots benefit from higher public spending than the UK average – with this £2,669 more per person north of the border.
He said this 'means more money for schools, hospitals and policing, if the Scottish Parliament chooses to invest in those areas' – although he also claimed 'people in Scotland will rightly expect to see better outcomes' for these higher spending levels.
Mr Murray said: 'These figures underline the collective economic strength of the United Kingdom and how Scotland benefits from the redistribution of wealth inside the UK.
'By sharing resources with each other across the UK, Scots benefit by £2,669 more per head in public spending than the UK average.
'It also means that devolved governments have the financial heft of the wider UK behind them when taking decisions.'
Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison said decisions taken by ministers at Holyrood 'are helping support sustainable public finances'.
She said: 'For the fourth year in a row, devolved revenues have grown faster than devolved expenditure.
'Scotland's public finances are better than many other parts of the UK, with the third highest revenue per person in the UK, behind only London and the South East.'
She also stressed the Gers statistics reflect the current constitutional arrangements, with Scotland part of the UK and 'not an independent Scotland with its own policy, decisions on defence spending and the economy'.
Ms Robison said: 'Gers allocates Scotland a population share of reserved UK spending rather than accounting for real expenditure. For example, UK defence expenditure is listed as £5.1 billion, but only £2.1 billion was actually spent with industry in Scotland in 2023-24.
'Being taken out of the EU, against the will of the people of Scotland, has also hit Scotland's revenues by £2.3 billion and the higher cost of UK Government debt adds £500 million to the deficit.
'Falling oil prices and a decrease in extraction present challenges going forward, but we are clear in our support for a just transition for Scotland's valued oil and gas sector, which recognises the maturity of the North Sea basin and is in line with our climate change commitments and energy security.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Yvette Cooper solves one headache for justice system but may have caused another
By getting her way and allowing police to consider disclosing the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged in high-profile cases, Yvette Cooper has solved one enormous headache for the criminal justice system. But she may have caused another, which could have consequences for race relations. The home secretary has encouraged senior police officers to free themselves of longstanding protocols so they can combat the prolific use of social media by far-right bloggers and organisations that have escalated disinformation around high-profile incidents. Last summer's national riots were fomented from an early stage by misinformation about the Southport killer – he was claimed, in posts recycled tens of thousands of times, to be a Muslim, foreign-born and an asylum seeker. All three statements turned out to be wrong. Until today, there was nothing in the College of Policing's guidance that actually prevented police giving information about the nationality, asylum status or even ethnicity of someone who has been charged. The police are restricted as to what they can say about suspects. But the guidance on media relations – and what would be released to the public – said that if someone was arrested, police should only give the suspect's gender and age. Once a suspect was charged, the guidance said police could give out the suspect's name, date of birth and address. Before 2012, police forces made decisions on what information to give to the media on a purely case-by-case basis, decisions often made depending on the force's relationship with individual journalists and media outlets. But it was Lord Leveson's damning 2012 report into press ethics that prompted police forces to become more cautious because of concerns that releasing the ethnicity of suspects could be used to feed false narratives. Leveson examined testimony from the National Union of Journalists claiming that some national newsrooms openly encouraged racist reporting. One reporter was told by the news editor to 'write a story about Britain being flooded by asylum-seeking bummers', another was told to 'make stories as rightwing as you can' and another was told to go out and find Muslim women to photograph, with the instruction: 'Just fucking do it. Wrap yourself around a group of women in burkas for a photo,' the testimony said. He examined numerous reports including a Daily Star article under the headline 'Asylum seekers eat our donkeys,' which claimed that donkey meat was a speciality in Somalia and eastern Europe and blamed asylum seekers, without any evidence. Leveson concluded that 'when assessed as a whole, the evidence of discriminatory, sensational or unbalanced reporting in relation to ethnic minorities, immigrants and/or asylum seekers, is concerning.' Fast-forward 12 years to Southport, and Merseyside police were left making decisions on whether to release information on the ethnicity and nationality of the killer of three young girls in order to dispel public anger that had spilled on to the streets. Senior officers had to deal with major criminal incidents and took days to dispel social media untruths. Such disinformation was at least partly responsible for last summer's riots. At the time, Merseyside police said they were not giving out more information because of the contempt of court rules. It is hoped that the new guidance will mean police will no longer be left flat-footed when responding to viral social media posts by extremists. Decisions on releasing such information will remain with police forces, with wider legal and ethical considerations also taken into account, the National Police Chiefs' Council said, but verifying a suspect's immigration status is up to the Home Office. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion There is concern among some former police and race campaigners that Cooper's change will undo the restrictions imposed after Leveson and fuel racist sentiments. The former Met chief superintendent Dal Babu has warned of the 'unintended consequences' of the new guidance, which he said could lead to more online speculation in cases where these details are not released. 'The danger is there will be an expectation for police to release information on every single occasion,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The Home Office insists that it will not be encouraging the release of ethnicity and immigration status in all cases, and there are notable occasions when it has not. But a former race adviser to No 10 told the Guardian: 'Yvette has unwittingly opened a Pandora's box. After every charge, everyone with a union jack on their X bio will demand from the police the ethnicity of the suspect. 'The Home Office is going to to get even more demands for the asylum status of every black or brown suspect. It is going to be chaos, and has handed Nigel Farage another stick to beat Labour with.' There could well be a knock-on effect on mainstream reporting and community relations, campaigners believe. Enny Choudhury, from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: 'Releasing the ethnicity of everyone suspected of serious crimes will do nothing to help victims or secure justice – it will simply fuel mistrust, deepen divisions, and make Black and brown communities more vulnerable to prejudice and harm.'
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Anti-Jewish' summer camp accused of backing Iran is cancelled - concerns were raised that it was radicalising children as young as nine
A summer camp sponsored by an Islamic charity accused of backing Iran has been cancelled after concerns were raised it could expose children as young as nine to extreme views. Local councillors said they had been 'swamped' by petitions to call off the upcoming four-day residential camp run by the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission charity in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. Representatives of 11 Reform UK branches across the county had also written to the managers of the centre where Camp Wilayah was due to be held, demanding that it be cancelled. The Daily Mail can now reveal that the residential, described as a 'unique opportunity' for children aged nine to 14 to build on their Islamic values, will not go ahead as planned over the August bank holiday. Liberal Democrat and chair of Hertfordshire County Council Laurence Brass welcomed the decision, saying the final call had been made by the scout group that own the venue. He added: 'We have been swamped with petitions for it to be cancelled. 'I was very upset that it was going ahead and I am very pleased with this result. I think it is the right decision.' Mr Brass said that Hertfordshire County Council is due to announce the cancellation of the camp officially on Wednesday. Camp Wilayah, which has been run by Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission for a number of years, was due to be held between August 22 and August 25. According to the charity's website, any girls attending were required to wear a hijab and loose clothing. They were also due to be separated from the boys for the duration of the camp, except for daily prayers, talks and a team photo. Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission, which is based in Cricklewood, north-west London, has been accused of backing Iran's theocratic regime. In posts on social media, the charity has repeatedly praised Tehran's leader Ayatollah Khamenei - and even described his books as a 'great read'. The organisation has also refused to condemn the terror group Hamas and said in the wake of the October 7 attacks that 'Zionists brought this disaster upon themselves'. Meanwhile in another post on Instagram from last year, young children can be seen drawing and colouring in Palestinian flags and watermelon symbols. Legal lobby group UK Lawyers for Israel previously criticised the planned activities at the camp - saying they could incite hatred towards Jewish people. It said in a comment to The Telegraph: 'AIM's deep ideological alignment with the Iranian regime and its record of extremist propaganda presents an unacceptable risk to children. 'We hope the local authority and other agencies will act decisively to protect vulnerable young people from exposure to harmful and radicalising content.' In a post on their website on Tuesday, Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission confirmed that Camp Wilayah had been postponed until further notice. The charity said this was in light of 'serious threats levelled at the safety of children at the camp'. The statement read: 'Following discussions with Hertfordshire Scouts, and in light of serious threats levelled at the safety of children at the camp, we regret to announce that this year's Camp Wilayah will not proceed at Phasels Wood over the bank holiday weekend. 'We know this decision will cause some disappointment; however, our first priority is to protect the safety and security of our children, and we take this matter very seriously. 'For foreign political lobby groups, media outlets and far right thugs to make unfounded allegations that heighten the risk and encourage harm to children in the UK is truly disgraceful. It added: 'For over a decade, Camp Wilayah has been a cherished space where our children could enjoy the outdoors, grow in their values, and form lifelong friendships. 'Many of those who attended Camp Wilayah are now doctors, plumbers, teachers, engineers, and public servants, proud citizens who give back to Britain every single day. 'No evidence of wrongdoing has ever been found at Camp Wilayah, yet our children are being punished simply for their faith.' 'To attack such a wholesome and positive tradition is shameful, especially when threats are made by the Reform Party to mobilise protests and disrupt children's camps. 'Not only is this despicable behaviour, but it is Islamophobia in plain sight, and it should alarm every member of society.' UK Lawyers for Israel wrote to Brentwood Council in London and Hertfordshire County Council last month asking for Camp Wilayah to be banned. The group warned councillors: 'There is compelling reason to believe that the event may be used as a platform to radicalise children, incite hatred or violence, and glorify terrorist ideology.' Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick also raised concerns that children should be allowed to attend camps run by 'supporters of the Iranian regime'. A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council previously said: 'We are aware of concerns around this planned activity camp, and we are working with partners to understand the situation and whether it raises any safeguarding issues.' There is no evidence the charity poses a risk to children and in a statement on their website it says its goal is to 'promote peace' and 'create a better world for everyone'. It reads: 'We at AIM are committed in our efforts to spread peace, tolerance and co-existence; and to promote social harmony as contained in our rich and abundant Islamic heritage. 'AIM believes that the continual pursuit of its objectives will create a better world for everyone.'
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Plans for UK police to reveal suspects' ethnicity a recipe for ‘dog-whistle politics', say campaigners
Plans to disclose the ethnicity and immigration status of criminal suspects in the UK have been condemned by race campaigners for setting a dangerous precedent for 'dog-whistle politics', which will make 'Black and brown communities more vulnerable'. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has welcomed new police guidelines released on Wednesday which encourage forces to release the race and nationality of those charged in high-profile cases. It is meant to combat misinformation on social media, which spread last summer after the murder of three schoolgirls in Southport. False information about the killer's nationality, religion and asylum status fuelled widespread unrest throughout the country. But race campaigners believe the move may encourage focus on the racial background of suspects, and will lead to further rightwing conspiracy theories when information is not released to the public. Enny Choudhury, the co-head of legal at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: 'Releasing the ethnicity of everyone suspected of serious crimes will … simply fuel mistrust, deepen divisions, and make Black and brown communities more vulnerable to prejudice and harm. 'Some point to cases like Southport, where rumours were quashed by releasing specific information. But building a blanket policy around this is dangerous. It turns race into a variable in policing and public debate– when we know the vast majority of serious crimes, including sexual offences, are committed by white men. 'The role of the justice system should be to unite communities in pursuit of justice, not to single people out because of their ethnicity.' Peter Herbert, from the Society of Black Lawyers, questioned the role of the police around issues of ethnicity and nationality when forces still face allegations of institutional racism. He said: 'The disclosure of ethnicity in particular is especially sensitive. People have never committed crimes on the basis of their ethnicity or nationality, and therefore the whole premise about releasing this information in certain cases sets a dangerous precedent. 'One only has to remember the misinformation the surrounded the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes to understand the police themselves are often guilty of putting out misinformation which exacerbates public concern and fear. 'Conspiracy theorists are rarely satisfied by official announcements and therefore tagging ethnicity and nationality, even in a limited amount of cases, opens a dangerous door to widespread xenophobia and racism, enabling the criminal justice system to be used for dog-whistle politics.' The guidance, which comes into immediate effect, was developed by the National Police Chiefs' Council in recognition of 'public concerns', and to ensure police processes were 'fit for purpose in an age of rapid information spread'. It comes after authorities were accused by Reform UK of hiding the identities and immigration status of two men, reported to be Afghan asylum seekers, charged over the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire. In May, when a car ploughed into crowds celebrating Liverpool FC's winning of the Premier League title, Merseyside police disclosed that the man arrested was white and British, in order to quash rumours of a terrorist attack in the public interest. Decisions on releasing such information will remain with police forces, with wider legal and ethical considerations also taken into account, the NPCC said. Verifying a suspect's immigration status will be up to the Home Office, not the police. Diana Johnson, the policing minister, said the government will want police to release these details in 'most cases'. She told the BBC that disinformation was a 'bigger problem for society' and said that the government was working with social media providers to tackle the issue. The former Metropolitan police chief superintendent Dal Babu has warned of the 'unintended consequences' of the new guidance, which he said could lead to more online speculation in cases where these details are not released. 'The danger is there will be an expectation for police to release information on every single occasion,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
