Scottish Government Debate: Growing Scotland’s Economy

Stephen Flynn S7M-00290 That the Parliament recognises that higher economic growth is essential to delivering long-term prosperity, tackling child poverty, improving public services and achieving climate ambitions; agrees that supporting enterprise, investment, innovation and trade is key to maximising productivity and increasing sustainable and inclusive economic growth; supports action to remove unnecessary barriers to success; acknowledges Scotland’s economic potential, including its key strengths in sectors such as energy, food and drink, financial services, and space, and endorses a continued focus on economic growth to build a more resilient, prosperous, and fairer Scotland for all. Further details available for S7M-00290 Daniel Johnson S7M-00290.3 As an amendment to motion S7M-00290 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Growing Scotland’s Economy), insert at end “; notes that the Scottish Fiscal Commission has projected Scotland's ‘Tax base performance gap’ for 2026-27 to be £785 million while data shows that GDP increased by 8.4% between Q2 2014 and Q2 2024 for Scotland compared to 14.3% across the UK as a whole, and believes that understanding and addressing these gaps is imperative in order to grow jobs, wages and opportunities, as well as maximising revenue for funding public services in Scotland.” Further details available for S7M-00290.3 Duncan Massey S7M-00290.2 As an amendment to motion S7M-00290 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Growing Scotland’s Economy), leave out from “, improving” to end and insert “and improving public services; agrees that lowering the tax burden and bureaucracy are essential to support enterprise, investment, innovation and trade, in order to kickstart the economy, which has stalled due to the high tax regime implemented by the SNP administration; supports action to remove unnecessary barriers to success; acknowledges Scotland’s economic potential, including its key strengths in sectors such as energy, food and drink, financial services, and space, and endorses a continued focus on economic growth as the best way to create a prosperous Scotland where there is hope for a better future, people can thrive and hard work is fairly rewarded." Further details available for S7M-00290.2 Patrick Harvie S7M-00290.4 As an amendment to motion S7M-00290 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Growing Scotland’s Economy), leave out from “is essential” to end, and insert “does not necessarily deliver prosperity, tackle child poverty, improve public services or achieve climate ambitions, and that only government action can ensure that economic activity helps to achieve these objectives rather than undermining them; believes that growth is needed in areas such as clean energy, housing, nature restoration, as well as social provision, including health, education and care, and that public, community and worker ownership should play an increased role; welcomes the recent publication of the Global Justice Report by the World Inequality Lab, which, it considers, is an important contribution to the debate about how high standards of living for all people can be compatible with decarbonisation and sustainability; urges the Scottish Government to ensure that its economic strategy shows similar ambition in combining these vital objectives, and rejects the failed idea that GDP growth inevitably builds a fair or sustainable economy.” Further details available for S7M-00290.4 Rachael Hamilton S7M-00290.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-00290 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Growing Scotland’s Economy), leave out from “recognises” to end and insert “acknowledges Scotland’s economic potential, including its strengths in sectors such as oil and gas, energy, food and drink, financial services and space; recognises the vital contribution of the oil and gas industry to jobs, investment and energy security; regrets the Scottish National Party administration’s increases to Scottish Income Tax and failure to reform business rates, which have harmed Scotland’s competitiveness; endorses a continued focus on economic growth to build a more resilient and prosperous Scotland, and calls on the Scottish Government to support continued investment in the North Sea, reform business rates and reduce the tax burden on hard-working people in Scotland over the next five years.” Further details available for S7M-00290.5 Liam McArthur S7M-00290.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-00290 in the name of Stephen Flynn (Growing Scotland’s Economy), insert at end "; believes that Brexit has had a deeply damaging impact on the economy, and agrees that one of the biggest changes that could be made to boost growth, fix trade and cut the cost of living would be a new bespoke customs union between the UK and the EU.” Further details available for S7M-00290.1