Scottish Parliament debate: Budget Process 2010-2011

Linda spoke in the debate on 17 December:

“Flexibility is important in ensuring that things keep moving forward. Locking the country into fixed spending in future years does not provide the flexibility for us to deal with the very big issues that are coming up. I only wish that Westminster would be a bit more flexible. I hope that the cabinet secretary and Iain Gray, leader of the Labour group, will keep lobbying Westminster for further acceleration of cash. Such fiscal stimulus is absolutely required. As we heard yesterday, we seem to be the only country in the G8 that is not looking for any kind of fiscal stimulus…

“The absolute fact of this budget process, which was reflected by the Finance Committee, is that no other committee proposed an amendment to the budget. No one brought forward an amendment on GARL, either—we are hearing a lot of empty rhetoric about GARL. There is no seriousness there. No alternative to the cabinet secretary’s proposal has been suggested.”

To read the full text of Linda’s speech, go to http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1217-02.htm#Col22285