Chamber and committees

Direct annual expenditure on tourism since 2007-08, by VisitScotland (VS), Scottish Enterprise (SE) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is shown in the following tables:

VS Annual Expenditure

Notes:

(1) Data from annual accounts except for 2014-15, which is anticipated spend from the three year corporate plan revised in 2015. The 2014-15 annual report and accounts is yet to be released.

(2) Above figures exclude ring-fenced DEL (non-cash) and Annually Managed Expenditure (AME).

SE Annual Expenditure on Tourism

Notes:

(1) All data from annual accounts.

(2) Complete figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are unavailable as SE’s systems did not have full industry tagging available in those years.

(3) Expenditure on tourism from 2009-10 until 2012-13 included investments made towards the Queens Dock project: £12 million in 2009-10, £7 million in 2010-11, and £1 million in 2012-13.

(4) Above figures exclude ring-fenced DEL (non-cash) and AME.

HIE Annual Expenditure on Tourism

Notes:

(1) Data from annual accounts except for 2014-15, which is estimated. The 2014-15 annual report and accounts is yet to be published.

(2) Above figures exclude ring-fenced DEL (non-cash) and AME.

In addition to the above it should be noted that, other Scottish Government policy areas also provide funding and support, which supports tourism in Scotland.

As outlined in the Draft Budget in 2015-16, we plan to use up to £304 million of borrowing to maximise our infrastructure investment in 2015-16. The borrowing will support the overall capital infrastructure programme rather than be allocated on an individual project basis.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4O-04551 on 9 September 2015 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10070

We are discussing a number of issues through the negotiating of a fiscal framework and I will give an update in due course.

The Joint Exchequer Committee has met on 7 July, 4 September and 23 September 2015. The Joint Exchequer Committee will continue to meet with the intention of reaching agreement on Scotland’s fiscal framework during the autumn.

There are a wide range of oil price forecasts. For example, HM Treasury publishes a monthly summary of independent oil price forecasts for 2016. In the latest publication, the highest oil price forecast is $80 and the lowest is $51.3. 

This time last year the majority of independent forecasters did not predict current oil prices. However, industry is now embracing change and taking action to become more competitive in a lower price environment.

The Scottish Government has also taken action. The First Minister launched the Energy Jobs Taskforce in January 2015 to deliver a co-ordinated response to the issues being faced by the industry, with partners working across the sector both to maintain jobs and to mitigate the potential impact of any losses. 

The Energy Jobs Taskforce has engaged directly with more than 1,700 individuals and over 100 companies to better help those affected move forward into new employment, new ventures, training or education. 

The taskforce progress report was published on 17 September 2015 and provides a summary of the progress to date and the key activities delivered by taskforce members and their respective organisations. The report is available at the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0048/00485317.pdf

OECD analysis of the roles and responsibilities of independent fiscal institutions shows that the fiscal institutions in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden assess official forecasts.

This analysis is published at:

http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/download/4213201ec031.pdf?expires=1443169703&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=BE88F84C9F38B9E09B70DF7BDD58B396

The Scottish Fiscal Commission Bill introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 28 September 2015 provides for an independent commission to assess the reasonableness of devolved fiscal forecasts and estimates prepared by the Scottish Government. The Bill reflects the responses received to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Scottish Fiscal Commission and international best practice, including the OECD Principles for Independent Fiscal Institutions. The Bill does not provide for any advisory role for the Scottish Fiscal Commission.

The International Monetary Fund report The Functions and Impacts of Fiscal Councils (July 2013) highlights a number of features of effective sovereign fiscal councils and recognises that the design of a fiscal council should “reflect country-specific characteristics”.

The Scottish Government has fully considered international best practice in formulating legislative proposals for the Scottish Fiscal Commission, including the work of the International Monetary Fund and the OECD. The Policy Memorandum published alongside the Scottish Fiscal Commission Bill demonstrates how the Scottish Government has applied the OECD’s Principles for Independent Fiscal Institutions in developing legislative proposals for the Scottish Fiscal Commission.

The Policy Memorandum published alongside the Scottish Fiscal Commission Bill summarises the policy changes which the Scottish Government has made to the Bill prior to introduction to address issues raised by respondents to our consultation on the Scottish Fiscal Commission.

In particular, the Bill provides for an additional function which allows the Scottish Fiscal Commission to prepare such other reports as it considers appropriate. This change in policy is intended to further strengthen the legislative safeguards for the structural and operational independence of the commission by allowing the commission the freedom to determine its own programme of work.