Political Update - 16 August
Scotland’s annual Government Expenditure Review Statistics (GERS) report has been a key political talking point since its inception in 1992. It formed a central part of the debate around the referendum on Scottish Independence in 2014 and ten years on, in a rapidly changing political environment, its importance to government policy and public discourse is as strong as ever.
The headline figures from this year’s publication, which was released earlier this week, make for uncomfortable reading. Despite an increase in revenue as a result of recent tax rises, Scotland’s public expenditure deficit increased by £3.6bn to £22.7bn. The upshot is that tough choices lie ahead for the Scottish Government, which has already had to take the decision to scrap universal winter heating payments for pensioners in response to the economic situation.
Significant government cuts are coming and the question on the tip of everyone’s tongue will be: Who’s going to lose out?
For our rural sector, it is highly likely that some of the burden for cuts in expenditure will come from the rural affairs budget. However, as the budget for agricultural support is ringfenced by the UK Government, we can be certain that this will not affect farm payments in the near future.
Recent trends of Scottish Government budget cuts would suggest that savings may be made on demand-led schemes which have historically underspent on allocations. But delve into this a little further and we find that cuts to some schemes may be at odds with the First Minister’s key priorities to grow the economy and tackle climate change.
The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, Forestry Grant Scheme, Peatland Action Fund and many more key funding opportunities are playing a vital role in enabling rural businesses to tackle climate change. The First Minister is absolutely right to make this one of his key priorities and now is the opportunity to show that he will take this seriously by protecting these funds.
But let us not allow unpalatable economic truths to overshadow the positive news from earlier this week in the wide-ranging, positive press coverage achieved to mark the start of the grouse season. The twelfth was perhaps not the most glorious in all of history, but we can nonetheless take the opportunity to champion the countryside custodians who nurture our moorlands and protect our countryside so that we can enjoy all that it has to offer.
This year, despite low grouse numbers and an added layer of regulation, the spotlight has been placed firmly on the incredible work that goes into looking after rural Scotland: the community spirit; the conservation; the people, jobs and industries. Putting the last year of political wrangling around our moorlands to one side, I think it’s important that we recognise the tangible benefits that moorland management and conservation bring to Scotland and celebrate it where we can. That is, after all, what the glorious twelfth is all about!
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