
By Caroline Gardner, Auditor General for Scotland
The impact of Scotland’s new financial powers is now starting to hit home.
Publication of the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest forecasts and the Scottish Government’s medium-term financial strategy triggered critical commentary from the respected Fraser of Allander Institute and the Parliament’s own Information Centre (SPICe), and testy exchanges with the Cabinet Secretary in the Finance and Constitution Committee.
A forecast budget gap of £1 billion over the next three years makes some level of politicking inevitable, but this issue is above party politics.
What matters is that the Government has a plan in place to deal with all eventualities. But as Fraser of Allander has said, the new medium-term financial strategy is thin on detail. At a time of tightening budgets, that’s a matter of concern for everyone that benefits from public services. Continue reading Medium-term financial strategy: A step backwards?