Scotland's Balance Sheet Plunges Further In To The Red

13th March 2014

Please, please, vote YES!


Scotland's balance sheet has plunged further into the red and is now in a worse state than the UK overall after a dramatic fall in oil and gas revenues.

North Sea receipts plunged by £4.5 billion last year to £5.6 billion, according to the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) statistics.

It means the country's deficit - the shortfall between public spending and taxes raised to pay for them - increased from £7.6 billion in 2011/12 to £12.1 billion.

The figure, equal to around £2,400 per person, is what ministers plan to spend next year on the NHS.

Scotland's 8.3 per cent deficit of GDP is 1 per cent higher than the UK figure of 7.3 per cent.

The disclosure further damages Mr Salmond's economic case for independence, which has repeatedly claimed Scotland is wealthier than the UK as a whole.

Critics said the figures show the volatility of oil and gas prices and suggest voters face tax hikes or spending cuts if they back independence in September's referendum.

Former Chancellor Alistair Darling, leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign, described the report as a "landmark moment".

He said: "This is the day that Alex Salmond's own figures made the case against independence.


http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/464452/Scotland-s-12-billion-deficit-hits-Alex-Salmond-s-case-for-independence

how much would paying for their own prescriptions add to the woes of the scots..

I've been over this stuff before, as well prescriptions stuff...

I'll just leave it to the jealous little Englanders to spout their envy and scaremongering.

would you rather the scots make an informed decision...