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From YouTube: Ministerial Statement: Delayed UK Budget: Implications for Scottish Budget BSL - 6 October 2020
Description
Ministerial Statement: Delayed UK Budget: Implications for Scottish Budget BSL
A
C
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
Ordinarily,
I
would
have
been
speaking
to
oppose
and
challenge
the
business
motion.
I
do
speak
in
objection
to
it,
but
it
with
respect
for
the
the
fact
that
it's
more
difficult
to
to
call
a
division
in
the
current
circumstances
outside
of
decision
time.
I
don't
intend
to
press
this
to
the
vote.
I
do
want
to
record,
however,
my
objection
to
the
lack
of
time
being
allocated
to
discuss
the
legislative
consent
motion
on
the
trade
bill.
C
There
are
significant
other
changes
to
the
business
in
this
business
motion,
which
I
support,
not
least
the
the
debate
on
covert
related
issues
which
clearly
needs
time
for
scrutiny,
but
also
in
this
week's
business.
We
see
that
the
internal
market
bill,
which
is
so
controversial,
has
been
given
a
proper
amount
of
debating
time.
That's
as
it
should
be.
We
all
recognize
that
not
every
lcm
requires
a
debate.
Not
every
lcm
raises
serious
policy
or
constitutional
issues.
C
The
internal
market
bill
does,
and
the
government
has
agreed
to
allocate
time
to
debate
it.
The
same
should
be
true
of
the
trade
bill.
This
is
a
bill
which
not
only
encompasses
significant
aspects
of
trade
policy,
but
which
also
embodies
the
lack
of
scrutiny
which
the
uk
government
intends
to
bring
to
trade
policy.
C
We
should
not
be
replicating
that
lack
of
scrutiny
by
allocating
just
five
minutes
debating
the
legend
of
consent
motion
on
the
uk
trade
bill
as
a
state
presiding
officer.
I
I
would
normally
press
this
to
the
vote.
I
won't
do
so
today,
really
out
of
respect
for
the
the
practical
implications
of
doing
so
before
decisions,
but
I
would
urge
the
scottish
government,
if
they
wish,
to
distance
themselves
from
the
uk
government's
free
market
policy.
They
need
to
allow
proper
time
to
debate
these
matters
in
future.
B
Thank
you,
president
officer.
The
business
motion,
as
approved
by
the
bureau,
has
undergone
much
change
from
its
original
iteration,
reflecting
the
circumstances
we're
in
and
the
wishes
of
the
parties
of
the
parliament.
Patrick
harvey,
as
is
his
right,
has
sought
a
debate
on
the
lcm
on
the
trade
bill
of
up
to
an
hour
on
thursday.
There
was
time
at
our
disposal
on
thursday
afternoon,
but
the
view
of
the
bureau
was
that
this
should
be
deployed
to
debate
any
coronavirus
measures
which
the
scottish
government
might
announce
this
week.
Mr
harvey's
view
therefore
was
not
supported.
B
However,
we
have
scheduled
a
small
amount
of
time
at
the
conclusion
of
the
day
for
mr
harvey
to
further
air
his
concerns,
given
that
the
government
will
respond
to
that,
and
I'm
speaking
today,
particularly
on
the
on
behalf
of
the
bureau
and
to
the
business
motion,
I
will
then
there
design
officer
except
to
note
this.
The
scottish
government
shares
the
concerns
of
others
about
the
uk
government's
trade
policy
and
will
continue
to
express
those
concerns
and
to
press
the
uk
government
to
change
attack.
B
However,
the
trade
bill,
and
specifically
those
elements
on
which
we
have
been
asked
to
consent,
is
largely
a
technical
bill
which
seeks
to
secure
current
trade
agreements.
As
such,
it
is
narrow
in
scope.
The
provisions
of
the
bill
for
which
the
legislative
consent
of
the
scottish
parliament
has
acquired
will
enable
full
implementation
of
rolled
over
trade
agreements
which
scotland
benefited
from
through
eu
membership
and
will
avoid
potential
gaps
in
scotland's
ability
to
access
current
and
future
procurement
markets,
presiding
officer.
A
A
D
Thank
you
presiding
officer
today,
my
counterparts
in
wales
and
northern
ireland
and
I
are
making
a
statement
to
our
respective
legislatures
to
set
out
our
collective
expectations
of
the
uk
government
for
enhanced
covert
support
fiscal
flexibilities,
proper
involvement
of
the
devolved
governments
in
the
uk
spending
reviews
and
a
fair
deal
on
replacement
eu
funding.
We're
doing
this
jointly,
covering
a
wide
range
of
financial
matters
to
demonstrate
the
level
of
concern
we
all
share
across
the
different
nations
of
the
united
kingdom,
across
different
parties
and
across
different
legislatures.
D
Our
budget
next
year
will
be
set
in
extremely
challenging
circumstances.
Scotland's
economic
output
fell
by
around
a
fifth
in
the
second
quarter
of
this
year.
Trading
conditions
remain
extremely
challenging
for
businesses
as
they
adapt
to
operate
in
a
covert,
safe
and
manner,
face
restrained
demand
and
ongoing
cash
flow
problems.
D
Wider
indicators
of
the
labour
market
signal
that
firms
headcounts
have
been
falling
and
demand
for
staff
has
been
subdued,
we're
taking
every
possible
step
to
protect
jobs
as
we
work
to
rebuild
our
economy
from
the
covid
crisis,
but
our
economy
remains
fragile
and
recovery
will
be
slow.
Economic
activity
is
not
expected
to
return
to
pre-crisis
levels
before
the
end
of
2023
and
a
failure
to
agree
a
trade
deal
with
the
eu
would
only
further
delay
an
already
weak
recovery.
D
Currently
we
have
over
217
000
people
still
on
furlough
in
scotland,
and
our
analysis
suggested
61
000
jobs
would
be
saved
if
the
furlough
scheme
was
extended
by
eight
months.
The
job
support
scheme,
as
I've
previously
said,
is
a
poor
and
narrow
substitute
for
the
job
retention
scheme.
Treasury's
contribution
has
plummeted,
with
hard-pressed
employers
having
to
provide
the
majority
of
the
support
in
many
sectors.
That
simply
is
not
going
to
be
possible.
D
We're
keen
to
work
with
the
uk
government
to
ensure
that
any
extended
or
replacement
scheme
meets
the
needs
of
scottish
businesses
and
workers,
but
is
also
flexible
enough
to
respond
to
the
public
health
measures
that
are
required
to
control
the
virus.
This
is
particularly
critical
to
support
businesses
and
workers
where
local
lockdown
restrictions
are
necessary.
D
We
have
collectively
welcomed
the
6.5
billion
pounds
in
consequentials
for
covert
related
spending
from
the
uk
government
that
we
received
and
we
have
made
good
use
of
that
money.
Our
package
of
economic
interventions
is
worth
3.3
billion
pounds
and
key
measures
include
972
million
pounds
for
a
package
of
rates
relief,
1.2
billion
pounds
in
business
support
grants,
144
million
pounds
in
hardship
and
resilience
funds,
372
million
pounds
of
support
for
transport,
230
million
pounds
in
terms
of
an
economic
recovery
stimulus
package
to
invest
in
capital
projects
and
160
million
pounds
for
a
rural
recovery
package.
D
We've
also
spent
an
additional
2.4
billion
pounds
directly
on
health,
while
we've,
yet
to
formally
allocate
approximately
500
million
of
consequentials,
which
will
be
done
in
the
spring
budget
revision.
That
funding
needs
that
we
currently
face.
The
funding
needs
that
we
currently
face
far
outstrip
the
resources
available
and
every
penny
has
been
allocated
against
health,
transport
and
economic
support
measures
required
by
the
covet
response.
D
If
the
scottish
government
had
the
powers
to
borrow-
or
at
least
the
very
limited
fiscal
flexibilities
which
the
government
and
the
parliament
have
asked
for
in
wales,
northern
ireland-
and
here
this
would
be
a
very
different
statement.
But
without
further
clarity
and
funding
or
flexibilities
from
the
uk
government.
Substantial
savings
will
be
required
to
bring
the
budget
into
balance
by
your
end,
and
so
today
we
are
also
collectively
asking
the
uk
government
to
provide
the
full
suite
of
flexibilities
that
we
have
collectively
asked
for.
D
These
are
flexibilities
that
we
need
to
manage
the
unprecedented
ongoing
uncertainty
that
we're
facing
the
powers
that
we
and
other
devolved
governments
are
seeking
are
reasonable,
they're,
straightforward
and
they
wouldn't
cost
the
uk
government
a
penny,
and
that
presiding
officer
brings
me
on
to
the
main
focus,
which
is
this
year's
or
next
year's
budget.
Because
the
delay
of
the
uk
budget
means
that
the
scottish
budget
for
next
year
will
be
based
on
provisional
and
partial
figures
and
therefore
subject
to
unnecessary
uncertainty
and
risk.
At
a
time
where
uncertainty
and
risk
are
not
in
short
supply.
D
We
will
not
know
what
parameters
we
have
to
work
with
on
crucial
issues
such
as
health
funding
or
business
support.
The
degree
of
uncertainty
runs
to
the
billions
of
pounds
we
faced
a
similar
situation
last
year,
which
was
deeply
problematic
for
our
budget
setting
and
scrutiny
processes.
The
situation
we
now
face
is
further
compounded
by
the
financial
challenges
of
covet
19
and
uncertainty
surrounding
brexit
and
the
threat
of
a
potential
no
deal
or
poor
deal
outcome.
D
We
expect
that
the
scale
of
the
potential
changes
in
the
uk
budget,
including
those
related
to
taxation,
will
be
far
larger
due
to
covid.
If
our
budget
goes
first,
there
will
be
a
need
to
respond
to
tax
changes
in
the
uk
budget
tax
changes
that
might
only
be
possible
in
scotland
if
uk
changes
generate
consequential
funding
for
income
tax
and
non-domestic
rates
poundage.
That
is
especially
challenging
because
we
cannot
change
these
during
the
financial
year.
Our
budget
process
is
at
the
mercy
of
decisions
or
rather
indecision.
D
Right
now,
in
westminster,
full
financial
powers
are
required
to
ensure
that
we
can
plan
independently
from
the
uk's
fiscal
policy
dysfunction.
So
today
we
that
is
again
the
welsh
finance
secretary,
the
northern
irish
finance
secretary
and
myself,
are
collectively
asking
the
uk
government
for
urgent
clarity
around
the
timing
and
the
scope
of
the
comprehensive
spending
review
to
allow
us
to
improve
our
planning
assumptions.
D
Presiding
officer,
the
the
last
matter
I
wanted
to
touch
on
is
the
internal
market
spill,
which
of
course
represents
an
assault
on
devolution,
the
likes
of
which
we
have
never
experienced.
Since
the
scottish
parliament
was
established,
the
uk
government
has
written
provisions
into
the
spill
that
presume
white
tall
control
over
the
delivery
of
replacements
for
the
eu
funding
programmes
in
scotland
programs
that
we
have
successfully
delivered
for
decades.
D
We
require
full
engagement
in
the
development
of
the
replacement
funding
vehicle
and
scotland's
share
of
the
funding
must
be
fully
devolved
so
that
we
can
target
it
in
a
manner
that
meets
the
needs
of
scotland's
people,
communities
and
businesses
and,
in
light
of
the
uk
government's
continuing
intransigence
on
that
point.
Today,
we're
collectively
asking
for
assurances
that
the
uk
government
will
provide
full
replacement
funding
of
eu
programmes
without
detriment
to
the
devolution
settlements
and
so
presiding
officer.
D
D
and,
of
course,
in
the
ongoing
grip
of
this
global
pandemic.
It
will
be
a
budget
of
unprecedented
uncertainty
and
in
that
context
we
need
as
much
certainty
as
possible.
We
need
as
much
engagement
as
possible
and
as
much
collaboration
as
possible.
We
need
assurance
on
what
the
figures
will
be,
so
that
we
can
plan
our
budget
and
respond
to
the
multiple
crises
that
we
currently
face.
D
Regrettably,
action
to
date
has
increased
that
uncertainty,
but
there
is
still
time
to
make
amends,
and
that
is
why,
today,
the
finance
ministers
of
the
devolved
governments,
representing
their
three
nations,
are
speaking
with
one
voice
and
calling
for
the
uk
government
to
provide
that
clarity
to
provide
that
certainty
and
to
provide
that
flexibility
that
we
require
in
order
to
serve
the
people
the
businesses
of
this
country.
Thank
you.
A
E
Thank
you
exciting.
I
thank
the
cabinet
secretary
for
advanced
site
of
her
statement.
Although
businesses
and
workers
across
scotland
will
be
dismayed
that
her
first
thought
in
this
economic
crisis
is
to
call
for
more
constitutional
upheaval
when
the
government
should
be
getting
on
with
the
job
of
using
its
extensive
resources
to
support
those
in
need.
E
Providing
that
decline
is
in
line
with
the
uk
average
and
given
what's
coming
down
the
horizon,
I
would
have
thought
the
cabinet
secretary
would
want
to
recognize
the
very
important
protection
that
that
fiscal
framework
provides.
Instead,
what
she
says
is
that
full
financial
powers
are
required.
So
can
I
ask
her
what
is
her
analysis
of
the
cost
of
that
to
the
scottish
budget?
Her
own
government's
jars
figures
put
the
gap
between
income
and
expenditure
in
scotland
at
15
billion
pounds.
Isn't
that
a
budget
deficit
at
a
scale?
D
Considering
the
uk
government's
deficit
is
currently
forecast
to
be
in
the
region
of
372
billion
pounds,
I
would
question
the
merit
of
that
question
in
terms
of
the
the
calls
that
we
are
making
today
when
it
comes
to
setting
a
budget,
although
the
the
additional
flexibilities
that
we
received
through
the
fiscal
framework
have
helped
in
part
in
respond
to
this
pandemic.
What
I'm
asking
for
is
actually
very,
very
simple.
I
am
asking
for
clarity
on
our
budget
position.
D
Clarity
on
the
block
grant
adjustments,
clarity
on
what
the
forecasts
will
be
in
order
to
allow
us
to
set
a
budget
for
next
year.
Murder,
frozer
fraser
will
know
that,
even
in
terms
of
three
taxes,
income
tax
needs
to
be
set
before
the
next
financial
year
and
non-domestic
rates
changes
are
contingent
on
consequential
funding
from
equivalent
tax
changes
made
by
the
uk
government
and
local
authorities
are
required
to
set
their
council
tax
before
the
11th
of
march.
D
On
those
three
points,
we
need
urgent
clarity
so
that
we
can
set
our
budget
and
provide
that
equivalent
clarity
to
businesses
and
to
communities.
That's
as
simple
as
it
is
now
that
clarity
could
be
provided,
and
if
it's
not
going
to
be
provided,
which
is
my
fear
in
light
of
the
uk
government
scrapping
its
autumn
budget,
I
am
asking
for
the
equivalent
fiscal
flexibilities
to
plan
independently.
D
F
Harvey
I
share
the
scottish
government's
concern
about
the
impact
of
delays
to
the
uk
budget
process,
but
believe
we
should
nevertheless
afford
this
parliament
as
much
scrutiny
as
possible.
Last
week
I
asked
the
cabinet
secretary
about
the
500
537
million
pounds
of
money
to
deal
with
covered
that
was
remaining
unallocated.
F
She
indicated
the
money
had
been
allocated.
Will
she
publish
a
list
of
what
specific
initiatives
it
has
been
earmarked
for?
The
cabinet
secretary
talked
about
flexibilities
from
treasury
and
she
has
our
broad
support
for
her
request.
It
is,
however,
in
her
gift
to
provide
flexibility
for
councils,
allowing
them
to
balance
their
budgets
over
time
rather
than
in
year
to
cope
with
the
extra
cost
of
covid.
Will
the
cabinet
secretary
give
councils
the
flexibility
that
she
seeks
herself
from
the
uk
government.
D
I
will
happily
provide
a
very
detailed
list
of
spend
and
costs
associated
as
part
of
our
spring
budget
revision,
which,
as
a
jackie
bailey
knows,
is
the
normal
point
at
which
these
things
are
confirmed.
Can
I
clarify
once
again
that
the
costs
the
need,
far
outstrips
the
funding
that
has
been
made
available?
For
example,
I
require
currently
at
least
200
million
pounds
to
meet
increased
transport
needs.
We
know
that
the
costs
that
local
government
have
identified
need
to
be
met.
D
There
are
existing
commitments
when
it
comes
to
the
self-isolating
payments
which
are
not
in
the
autumn
budget
revision
and
will
be
in
the
spring
budget
revision.
So
there's
an
element
of
uncertainty,
and
there
may
well
be
future
uk
government
announcements
that
will
generate
consequentials,
which
will
form
part
of
the
spring
budget
revision
in
terms
of
the
fiscal
flexibilities.
The
short
answer
is
in
part.
C
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
Both
the
scottish
government
and
the
fiscal
commission
need
to
produce
tax
revenue
forecasts
in
respect
of
default
taxes.
If
the
scottish
budget
has
to
be
taken
forward
in
advance
of
knowing
what
uk
tax
policy
is
going
to
be,
what
will
those
forecasts
be
projected
against?
Will
it
be
the
status
quo
of
uk
tax
policy
or
some
other
scenario
based
on
the
expectations
of
what
the
uk
government
might
do.
D
I
think
that
that's
probably
a
more
appropriate
question
to
ask
the
scottish
fiscal
commission
who
of
course
are
the
independent
forecasters
unless
I've
misunderstood
his
question.
But
when
it
comes
to
our
budget
position,
we
will
have
to
set
our
budget.
It
depends
on
how
up-to-date
and
accurate
the
block
grant
adjustments
are
that
are
published
in
november.
So
if
he
recalls
last
year
there
were
figures
published
in
december
that
were
based
essentially
on
the
spring
mobr
update,
so
it
was
about
over.
It
was
over
six
months
out
of
date.
D
What
I'm
pressing
for
right
now
is
to
ask
treasury
to
ensure
that
the
figures
that
they
publish
for
the
block
grant
adjustments
are
as
accurate
as
possible,
and
that
means
that
we
can
plan
more
clearly
on
that
basis,
but
we
also
have
to
make
sure
that
the
sfc
has
sufficient
time
to
develop
their
own
robust
forecasts
and,
of
course
that's
why
we
have
the
the
10-week
notification
period.
There
is
a
degree
of
flexibility,
but
the
integrity
of
the
forecast
will
be
a
critical
aspect
of
the
budget
in
terms
of
tax.
D
We
cannot
avoid
the
reverse
cliff
edge
for
the
100
of
a
relief
that
has
been
provided
to
retail
hospitality
and
leisure
without
corresponding
uk
government
policy
or
significant
burning
consequentials.
So
I
suppose
the
answer
to
my
question
is
we
will
plan
with
as
much
evidence
as
we
have,
which
currently
right
now
is
very
little.
A
G
The
the
finance
secretary
not
unreasonably
complains
about
the
uncertainty
caused
by
the
uk
government,
which,
in
turn
is
in
part
caused
by
the
uncertainty.
It
was
a
pandemic.
I
want
to
know
what
the
finance
secretary
is
going
to
do
about
this.
What
discussions
are
there
with
the
uk
government
to
get
that
greater
certainty,
or
what
behind
the
scenes
is
she
hearing
about
when
that
certainty
will
come?
And
I
have
to
say
she's
stretching
the
point
by
saying
that
none
of
this
is
about
the
constitution
for
the
snp.
D
Considering
I
am
making
a
very
similar
statement
to
my
welsh
counterpart
and
northern
irish
counterpart.
You
might
want
to
ask
them
if
it's
also
about
the
constitution,
because
my
view
right
now
is
that
this
is
very
much
not
even
just
about
the
scottish
government.
It's
about
ensuring
that
our
taxpayers,
our
public
services,
local
government,
can
have
sufficient
clarity,
early
clarity
in
terms
of
what
I'm
doing
about
it.
There's
probably
two
points.
D
One
is
obviously
in
discussion
with
treasury
counterparts
at
an
official
level
and
a
ministerial
level,
I
had
a
discussion
with
the
chief
secretary
to
the
treasury
er
immediately
after
the
the
chancellor's
winter
economic
update
and
the
three
finance
ministers
have
also
pressed
for
an
early
meeting
with
the
chancellor
to
confirm
the
concerns
that
we
have
around
the
lack
of
clarity.
The
second
thing
is
to
try
and
get
some
confirmation
of
what
flexibilities
might
be
provided
to
us
and
I'm
not
talking
about
fiscal
flexibilities.
D
Last
year
there
was,
for
example,
an
option
as
to
whether
we
used
provisional
block,
grant
adjustments
or
use
the
updated
block,
grant
adjustments,
which
are
only
confirmed
at
the
the
uk,
a
budget
and
the
treasury
agreed
that
we
could
have
a
choice
between
provisional
or
m
confirmed.
Now
there
was
over
200
million
pounds
of
difference
between
them.
So
these
things
matter,
you
know
this
is
not
just
about
boring
budgets.
This
is
about
the
kind
of
provisions
we
can
put
in
place
to
support
households,
support
communities
and
to
support
our
public
services.
D
H
Thank
you,
sir.
When
the
uk
government
decided
to
delay
its
budget
to
march
11th
earlier
this
year,
the
public
spending
watchdog
for
local
government,
the
accounts
commission
described
the
decision
as
really
problematic
and
kind
of
unprecedented.
Our
local
authorities
are
big
employers
in
our
communities
and
at
the
forefront
of
delivering
important
services
for
our
citizens.
Does
the
cabinet
secretary
agree
that
the
uk
government
scrapping
its
latest
budget
date
is
similarly
problematic
and
creates
untold
problems,
not
just
for
the
scottish
government,
but
for
local
government
funding
and
flexibility
cabinet
secretary.
A
D
Think
that
that
final
point
is
is
critical,
because
last
year
there
was
a
lot
of
debate,
for
example,
with
local
authorities
having
to
set
their
budgets,
not
knowing
what
their
own
spending
envelope
was
or
what
the
local
government
finance
settlement
would
be.
And
some
of
them
had
those
debates
in
advance
of
hearing
what
their
their
finance
settlement
was
and
then
had
to
make
updates.
And
of
course,
they
have
got
to
set
a
council
tax
in
advance
of
the
11th
of
march.
I
D
Well,
considering
that
I've
just
confirmed
that
we
have
invested
2.3
billion
pounds
in
our
business
support
packages,
ranging
from
grants
all
the
way
through
to
non-domestic
rates
relief.
The
government
is
right
now
on
being
as
flexible
as
possible
to
ensure
that
every
penny
we
have
at
our
disposal
goes
out
the
door
to
support
businesses
or
to
keep
the
health
service
delivering
for
the
people
that
rely
on
it,
and
we'll
continue
to
do
that.
J
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
Can
the
cabinet
secretary
advise
the
chamber
whether
it
is
any
indication
from
the
uk
government
if
another
round
of
austerity
is
heading
our
way,
giving
it
the
chancellor's
comments
that
we
we
cannot
continue
to
borrow
our
way
out
of
a
hole
and
what
impact
would
further
austerity
have
on
scotland's
employment
and
economy,
bearing
in
mind
that
the
uk
economy,
according
to
last
week's
economist,
has
shrunk
further
this
year
than
that
of
any
other
in
the
developed
world.
D
We
have
been
very
clear:
we've
set
out
over
the
last
few
months
that
we
expect
that
the
the
uk
government
to
continue
to
respond
to
the
pandemic
and
to
ensure
that
they
support
people
that
have
been
hardest
hit
by
the
pandemic.
Now
is
not
the
time
to
be
focusing
on
getting
the
public
finances
back
into
shape.
Now
is
the
time
to
ensure
that
we
support
people
to
as
far
as
we
can
get
through
these
very
difficult
months,.
K
Thank
you,
design,
officer
covert,
has
hit
some
communities
harder
than
others.
The
west
of
scotland
has
recorded
some
of
scotland's
highest
covert
death
rates.
Two
of
our
local
authority
areas
have
the
highest
unemployment
rates
in
scotland.
Much
of
the
region
has
been
subject
to
additional
restrictions
and
there's
a
growing
number
of
positive
cases.
Today,
no
additional
resources
have
been
targeted
towards
the
west
in
any
meaningful
way.
I'm
sure
the
finance
secretary
would
agree
with
the
principle
that
the
hardest
hit
areas
of
scotland
should
receive
extra
support.
D
Well,
in
terms
of
the
sentiment
of
the
question
I
I
do
agree
in
part
with
with
that
sentiment,
the
difficulty
is-
and
I
say
this
is
as
carefully
as
possible
when
it
comes
to
distributing
local
government
funding.
We
have
been
very
clear
with
kosla
that,
if
there's
an
alternative
funding
mechanism
that
they
think
this
money
should
be
distributed
through,
in
other
words,
for
example,
places
that
have
been
hardest
hit,
then
I'm
very
open
to
looking
at
how
we
distribute
the
funding
that
is
available
to
those
to
those
areas.
D
Now,
in
the
next
few
days,
I
hope
to
be
in
a
position
to
jointly
announce
with
kosla
and
further
support,
including
the
fiscal
flexibilities
that
jackie
bailey
talked
about
as
well
as
support
through
the
lost
income
scheme.
Now
that
lost
income
scheme
will
directly
reflect
at
the
the
challenges
that
councils
are
facing
through
that
lost
income,
and
it
will
be
an
application
based
support.
L
You
I
have
to
say
I
find
it
puzzling
that
the
uk
government
is
postponing
the
budget
because
they
feel
it's
a
major
decision
because
we're
in
a
time
of
crisis
with
covid
but
at
the
same
time
they're.
Not
postponing
the
decision
on
brexit
for
exactly
the
same
reasons.
Can
the
cabinet
sexually
help
me
understand
that.
D
I
think
it's
remarkable
that
the
opposition
are
expecting
us
to
have
spent
every
penny
at
our
disposal
by
this
point
in
october,
fully
understanding
that
the
the
challenges
of
responding
to
the
crisis
will
continue
now
in
terms
of
explanation,
I
was
very
grateful
when
the
uk
government
confirmed
that
they
would
provide
a
guaranteed
amount
of
funding.
This
is
what
they
announced
in
july.
I
welcomed
it.
It
was
a
different
way
of
providing
a
barnet
consequentials,
but
it
meant
that
they
provided
a
fund
which
they
then
said
would
continue
to
cover
all
future
announcements
of
consequentials.
D
So
the
challenge
for
us
just
now
is
that
that
funding
may
well
be
required
to
cover
additional
announcements
that
are
being
made
over
the
next
few
months,
and
the
uk
government
needs
to
provide
a
very
clear
reconciliation
of
what
is
covered
by
the
fund
they've
already
provided
because
failing
that,
that
means
that
all
that
funding
has
got
to
cover
every
new
spending
request
between
now
and
the
beginning
of
the
next
financial
year.
That
includes
transport
local
government
shielding
support,
self-isolating
payments,
localized
lockdowns.
D
Well,
I've
never
agreed
so
wholeheartedly
with
douglas
roth,
as
when
I
heard
those
comments-
and
I
think,
certainly
the
the
budget
scenario,
it
proves
his
point
and
would
have
been
a
very
fitting
example
for
him
to
use
and
again
the
point
of
today's
statement
is
to
illustrate
this
is
not
an
smp
point.
This
is
not
a
scottish
government
point.
There's
not
even
a
scottish
parliament
point
to
be
made.
O
President
officer,
I
very
much
welcome
the
fact
that
the
scottish
government
is
working
with
the
administrations
in
wales
and
northern
ireland
and
we
need
to
continue
to
do
so.
Does
the
government
secretary
agree
that
it
is
absolute
madness
to
be
continuing
with
a
bad
brexit
deal
at
this
time
and
is
there
still
mileage
in
trying
to
push
the
tories
got
this
on
this
constitutional
upheaval
that
they're
driving
across
the
united
kingdom
and
on
structure
funds
as
the
government
put
forward
any
proposals
for
the
replacement
of
structure
funds
being
administered
in
scotland
and
spain
in
scotland?.
P
Thank
you
very
much.
All
over
the
country
msps
are
hearing
from
business,
particularly
in
the
hospitality,
leisure
and
creative
sectors
who
are
struggling.
What
effect
does
this
delayed
uk
budget
have
on
the
scottish
government's
ability
to
assist
them
over
the
coming
months,
and
particularly
if
they
are
affected
by
the
announcement?
The
first
minister
will
make
tomorrow
cabinet
secretary.
D
So
I
think
this
is
one
of
the
most
critical
questions,
because
when
it
comes
to
responding
to
the
crisis,
to
responding
to
business
need
to
mitigating
some
of
the
effects
of
the
pandemic
on
business.
What
have
we
asked
for
is
for
the
flexibility
to
tailor
our
support
to
scottish
businesses,
particularly
those
that
have
been
hardest
hit
in
hospitality,
leisure
and
creative
sectors.
We
have
passed
on
more
in
funding
than
the
consequences
we
got
from
business
support.