1 week Ago
This budget followed the UK Government’s own budget, which was published in October and delivered an additional £5 billion in block grant funding to Scotland. With extra funding in place, the Scottish Government has more money to spend now than at any other point in the history of devolution. Last week therefore presented the government with an opportunity to properly invest in local communities after years of difficulty.
But disappointingly for Scotland – and Inverclyde – it seems that the opportunity has largely been missed. I welcome the Scottish Government’s proposed increased investment in our NHS, which was made possible by the UK Government’s uplift in funding. But for people in Inverclyde this draft budget won’t deliver the economic stimulus that we need.
Hundreds of jobs have already left this area in recent years, with companies like Amazon and EE moving out completely. I have consistently called on the Scottish Government to step in to support jobs and investment in Inverclyde. This means encouraging employers to do business here and providing training opportunities for potential staff.
Last week’s budget, isn’t just lacking in these areas – it has cut them. Scottish Enterprise, which is responsible for supporting business development, has seen a real terms budget cut. Skills Development Scotland which is also vital for closing skills gaps across the country, has also seen real terms cuts.
The Scottish Government has failed to support small and medium businesses on our high streets with the same rates relief being offered to their counterparts in England. And while £62 million has been invested into regeneration projects across Scotland, not a single community here is due to receive this funding. In short, despite the UK Government’s record investment – this Scottish budget has failed to prioritise growth here.
This is not good enough: people in Inverclyde have paid the price for low Scottish Government investment for too long – they should not have to do so in 2025..
