Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
1st report – The financing of the Scottish Government
Scottish Affairs Committee
HC 456
Published 16 July 2025
Recommendations
7
Deferred
Publish updated Block Grant Transparency documents with each fiscal event impacting Scotland's funding
Recommendation
The UK Government should publish an updated Block Grant Transparency document alongside each fiscal event which will result in changes to Scotland’s funding. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47) Dispute resolution and formalisation
Government Response Summary
The government states it shares the position, but then pivots to discussing VAT assignment, the Building Safety Levy, and Aggregates Levy, failing to address the specific recommendation to publish an updated Block Grant Transparency document alongside each fiscal event.
Scotland Office
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14
Deferred
Removing Scotland Reserve cap would enable more strategic Scottish Government financial planning
Recommendation
We note also that the jeopardy for returning funds to the UK Treasury at the end of the financial year incentivises poor behaviour in departmental spending, relative to value for money to the taxpayer. The removal of the Reserve, which …
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Government Response Summary
The government explained the current Scotland Reserve limits were agreed with the Scottish Government and deferred any changes, including potential removal, to the next Fiscal Framework review in 2028.
Scotland Office
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15
Deferred
Consider removing the cap on the Scotland Reserve at next Fiscal Framework review
Recommendation
At the next Fiscal Framework review, the UK Government should consider removing the cap on the Scotland Reserve, to ensure the Scottish Government’s fiscal flexibility is not unduly limited and to avoid the undesirable possibility of it having to return …
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Government Response Summary
The government deferred considering removing the cap on the Scotland Reserve to the next Fiscal Framework review, expected in 2028, with preliminary scoping work beginning soon. They noted the current limit was agreed with the Scottish Government and is uprated annually.
Scotland Office
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17
Deferred
Publish transparent analysis of Scottish Government borrowing limits based on various metrics
Recommendation
We recognise the arguments presented calling for reform to the Scottish Government’s current borrowing arrangements. We maintain that such borrowing should continue to be subject to interest payments, the same as it is for any other government when it borrows …
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Government Response Summary
The government explained current borrowing limits are mutually agreed and uprated annually, stating they will consider further reforms to Scottish Government borrowing arrangements at the next Fiscal Framework review. They did not commit to publishing an analysis of different metrics as recommended.
Scotland Office
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Conclusions (2)
5
Conclusion
Deferred
In all future Statements of Funding Policy, the UK Government should include details of how the comparability percentage of each department has been calculated, including a programme-by-programme breakdown of what has and has not been included in the calculation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 42)
Government Response Summary
The government states that officials have agreed to begin preliminary work on the scope for the next review of the Fiscal Framework, deferring the discussion rather than committing to include detailed comparability percentage calculations in future Statements of Funding Policy.
6
Conclusion
Deferred
We recognise the importance of the Block Grant Transparency document, as well as the value in it being published in a timely manner. We welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to publishing an updated document after the 2025 Spending Review and hope the Government will continue this practice in future …
Government Response Summary
The government discusses Scottish Government borrowing limits and the Fiscal Framework review, rather than addressing the recommendation to publish the Block Grant Transparency document alongside each major fiscal event.