Question reference: S6W-19899
- Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 11 July 2023
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Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 July 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding social security in Scotland, whether it will provide the (a) total value in the 2022-23 financial year and (b) estimated value in the current financial year of (i) expenditure on payments, (ii) funding provided through the Fiscal Framework and (iii) value of additional Scottish Government funding.
Answer
The most recent Scottish Fiscal Commission forecast, published on 25 May 2023, shows Social Security expenditure of £4.2 billion in 2022-23, and forecast to be £5.3 billion in 2023-24. The SFC highlight that the OBR have forecast the Block Grant Adjustment for Social Security to be £4.4 billion in 2023-24, with the Scottish Government investing £756 million above the level of funding received through the Block Grant Adjustment, which includes funding for new payments only available in Scotland.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s May 2023 publication can be found at: https://www.fiscalcommission.scot/download/2023/06/Scotland_s-Economic-and-Fiscal-Forecasts-May-2023-full-report-revised-June-2023.pdf .