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The Scottish economy is currently part of a UK economic model that is less productive, with lower national income per head and greater inequality than independent countries that are comparable to Scotland. The UK’s relatively poor economic performance was evident before Brexit, which has made our economic prospects even worse.
Denmark has a smaller sea area and marine sector than Scotland, yet it is receiving multiyear funding that is the equivalent of about £25 million per year. We can compare that with the £14 million-worth of funding that we currently receive from the UK Government.
As other local authorities have done, the City of Edinburgh Council has received an extra £60 million, or an additional 5.9 per cent of funding, compared to 2024-25, and it will receive £73.9 million—an extra £8.1 million—in capital funding.
We are treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared with the same quarter 10 years ago—12 per cent more within the 31-day standard and 6 per cent more within the 62-day standard.
As we know from the Tories’ disastrous privatisation of Ardrossan harbour in 1992, the consequences of poor decisions can be felt for decades. A Peter Brett Associates study comparing the costs of Brodick’s ferry going to Ardrossan with its going to Troon found that Troon would be 4.9 times more expensive over a 30-year period.
Our own decisions on income tax since devolution will result in an additional £1.5 billion being raised in 2024-25 compared with what would have been raised if we had matched current policy in the rest of the UK.
That is because of the investments that we are making compared with elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and we will continue to provide that support so that we have a strong workforce for employers in the future.
However, only 34 per cent of babies born in Scotland’s most deprived areas were breastfed at their six to eight-week review, which compares with 63 per cent in the least deprived areas.