Response from the David Hume Institute to the Scottish Parliament call for views on Scotland’s public finances in 2023-24 and the impact of the cost of living and public service reform.

About our submission

DHI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Finance and Public Administration Committee’s call for views on Scotland’s public finances 2023-24 and the impact of the cost of living and public service reform.

Central to our work are the people of Scotland, including those who are seldom heard; from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds; different genders, ages and abilities. 

We apply the critical thinking which has long defined DHI to encourage action to address the contemporary issues of our time. 

Our response draws on a range of previous research including:

• The Action Project - the largest multi generational research project in Scotland in recent years heard from over 5,000 people about their thoughts on action to help Scotland build forward better.

• Our 2022 briefing paper on open data, which sets out the lack of progress on open data in Scotland and the cost to the economy and public services.

Summary

We call on the Committee to recommend that the Scottish Government:

• Maintain the essential focus on commitments to reducing child poverty and the transition to net zero is critical to the economy

• Fully implement the Scottish Government’s 2021 benefit take-up strategy

• Recognise that there is little evidence that tax cuts will help with the cost of living or inflation

• Work to reduce levels of ‘inactivity’ amongst those who want to work by reducing barriers to work in order to increase the tax base.

• Fully realise the benefits of their own Open Data commitments to improve public services and boost the economy.

• Better utilise the sustainable procurement duty to deliver national outcomes