CUTS REINFORCE CASE FOR FISCAL AUTONOMY

CUTS REINFORCE CASE FOR FISCAL AUTONOMY

GROWING ECONOMY KEY TO CUTTING DEFICIT

Commenting after the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled plans for £6.25 billion cuts in public spending – including £332m in Scotland - SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie said details of the cuts reinforced the case for the Scottish Parliament gaining full control of tax and spending.

Mr Hosie said:

“These cuts are a warning of what is to come from the Tory/Liberal coalition, and totally reinforce the need for the Scottish Parliament to gain full control of tax and spending so that we can tailor our own growth strategy and boost government revenues.

“The key to cutting the deficit is growing the economy, which is why cutting public spending now is the wrong approach. News that the deficit has fallen by £11 billion due to a generally better economic performance underlines why the Scottish Government is absolutely right to prioritise economic recovery and defer further cuts - on top of the £500 million made by Labour - so that we maximise jobs and recovery now.

“The Liberal Democrats fought the election insisting that cutbacks should only start when the economy is ready. The economy is not ready and now, like Labour, they are risking a double dip recession.

“Labour’s Finance spokesperson in the Scottish Parliament has made a huge blunder by siding with the Tories against the process of economic recovery and by calling for even more cuts on top of the £500 million his party already made to the Scottish budget this year. Labour are now part of the Tory/Lib Dem cuts coalition.

“With the likelihood that first quarter 2010 growth will be revised upwards, from the original 0.2 per cent, there is a risk that cutting now will choke off further recovery. Indeed, taking more than £300 million out of Scotland’s economy would jeopardise around 5,000 jobs.”