John Swinney claims Scotland’s taxes shouldn’t rise following independence
ByKieran Andrews
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth sets out the Scottish Government's Budget to the Scottish Parliament ahead of the stage three debate. The Scottish Parliament will vote on whether to pass the Budget (Scotland) (No.2) Bill at 5pm today. 06 February 2013. Pic - Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament
The Finance Secretary has said he does not envisage personal taxes rising if Scotland becomes independent.
John Swinney also said he would not increase taxes on the oil industry and that he would want a “competitive” tax regime for businesses.
This, he said, would help businesses and “grow the economy and thereby grow the tax base.”
He added: “The purpose of that is to increase the tax take by delivering a stronger and bigger economy.”
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser, convener of the Scottish Parliament’s finance committee, said it was “fantasy” to think an independent Scotland could afford the “expensive luxuries” the SNP have said a separate Scotland would have.
He added: “If John Swinney isn’t going to hike taxes to fund these policies, the only option left would be to radically increase borrowing, and we know the mess that can get a country into.
“The news that oil and gas revenue looks set to tumble by almost a fifth shows just how fluctuating a commodity it can be.
“That is why it is foolish for the Scottish Government to be so reliant on it as a source of major income.”
John Swinney claims Scotland’s taxes shouldn’t rise following independence
