Scotland’s Financial Strength

As an amendment to motion S4M-06016 in the name of John Swinney (Scotland’s Financial Strength), leave out from “(GERS) report” to end, and insert, "which, it believes, provides further evidence that Scotland is better off as part of the UK; recognises that the UK is Scotland’s main trading partner, and that, according to the latest Global Connections Survey, total sales from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom were worth £45 billion in 2011 alone; further notes John Swinney’s admission in a recently published Cabinet paper that , “in 2016/17, OBR forecasts suggest that Scotland would have a marginally larger net fiscal deficit than the UK”, and that in an independent Scotland there “would be more volatility in public spending than at present”;  is concerned that, according to the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2013/14, projected investment in infrastructure projects through the Non Profit Distributing model has been reduced by £333 million in 2012/13, and will be reduced by a further £348 million in 2013/14; believes that the Scottish Government could strengthen Scotland's economy by supporting colleges rather than cutting their budgets, investing in Scotland's housing supply, making full use of their own NPD capital investment programme, and ensuring a level playing field for Scottish businesses bidding for public sector contracts."