Framework for the Resource Spending Review

Contact

Joanne McNaughton

(Clerk for the Committee)

Finance and Public Administration Committee

0131 348 5000

fpa.committee@parliament.scot

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

The Scottish Government has published a ‘consultative framework document’ on its forthcoming Scottish Resource Spending Review.

Resource Spending is the spending on day-to-day running costs of government programmes and administration. The purpose of a Resource Spending Review is to set out spending plans for the remainder of the parliamentary term which support the Scottish Government's ambitions (these plans will cover from 2023-24 to 2026-27).

The document was published alongside the Scottish Budget and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy on 9 December 2021.

The Government says the Resource Spending Review will build on the Capital Spending Review that was published earlier this year. According to its consultation document, these two spending reviews will together give a comprehensive picture of Scotland’s multi-year public spending plans.

The Government also says it will need to decide what to prioritise and how to deliver its services. To do this effectively, it plans to focus on its core priorities:

to support progress towards meeting our child poverty targets
to address climate change, and, underpinning these
to secure a stronger, fairer, greener economy

Timescale for the Spending Review consultation

This is the Scottish Government’s first resource spending review since 2011. The Scottish Government had previously agreed to set out a framework when proceeding with a spending review.

The consultation on the framework will run until 27 March 2022.The Scottish Government will then publish its review in May 2022.

The Committee has agreed it will carry out a short, focussed inquiry, to inform its response to the Scottish Government consultation.

Key questions

The Committee is keen to hear a wide range of views to help inform its inquiry. The key questions that it would like to hear views on are

How clearly does the framework set out the Scottish Government’s priorities for the resource spending review?
What should be the overarching priorities in the resource spending review and how adequately are these currently covered in the framework?
Does the framework properly reflect the current economic and political context?
How does the framework approach cross-cutting issues, long-term challenges such as demographic trends, and preventative approaches?
How well do the priorities in the framework link in with National Performance Framework outcomes?

How to submit your views

Please submit your views using the online submission form, linked to below.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language.