Holyrood committee launches inquiry into Scottish Government’s management of Scotland’s public finances

The Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee will examine three key aspects of fiscal and economic policy ahead of the Scottish Budget 2025/26, due to be published later this year.

The cross-party committee of MSPs will examine:

• progress on the Scottish Government’s public service reform programme
• the Scottish Government’s approach to taxation - including what its draft tax strategy should include and how potential behavioural responses impact business and individuals
• how the Scottish Government is using its capital expenditure to achieve innovation, productivity, and growth.

Views are being sought from across the public sector, private sector, third sector, academics, think tanks and interested parties. Written evidence will inform the committee’s pre-budget scrutiny process.

Finance and Public Administration Committee Convener Kenneth Gibson said:

“Everyone is acutely aware of how challenging the fiscal and economic outlook is at present and is likely to remain for some time to come.

“It is absolutely vital therefore that we assess the effectiveness of the Scottish Government’s overall approach towards managing Scotland’s public finances.

“Our inquiry will take a three-pronged approach, examining the government’s plans for public service reform, its approach to taxation and the use of capital expenditure to achieve innovation, increased productivity and growth.”

Find out more about the committee’s inquiry

Call for views

The committee’s call for views asks 11 questions on the above themes.

Views can be submitted here:

Managing Scotland’s Public Finances: A Strategic Approach

The closing date for view is 12 August 2024.