The annual GERS figures are a perfect example of why Scotland is better off within the United Kingdom.
GERS, which is produced by Scottish Government officials, shows how much Scotland raises in taxes and how much is spent on public services.
The GERS figures demonstrate clearly how much we gain from remaining part of the UK.
This year’s publication, released last week, revealed that a new record high of £107 billion was spent on helping people in Scotland last year.
That sum includes all of the support that the UK Government delivered to support families through the cost-of-living crisis, in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, and the energy price crisis, which was caused by Vladimir Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine.
The GERS figures show that, as part of the United Kingdom, we have received £19 billion more for our public services than we otherwise would have.
These amounts are so vast that it helps to break them down per person. When we do that, it shows that Scotland has benefitted from a ‘Union dividend’ of £1,521 for every man, woman and child in the country.
That’s the amount of extra spending we receive compared to others in the rest of the UK. It’s important to note that this is an annual sum, it is not a one-off. Each year, people in Scotland benefit from a similar amount of extra funding.
If the SNP ever got their way and managed to separate Scotland, this extra spending would be put at risk. To balance the books, there would need to be huge spending cuts to public services or enormous eye-watering tax raises to make up the gap.
This is the reality of independence that the SNP refuse to confront. They won’t be honest with people about how much pain their plans would inflict. Worst of all, the most vulnerable people, especially in more deprived areas, would suffer the worst of the consequences.
As an example, to make the books balance last year alone, the SNP would need to cut the entire budget for Scotland’s NHS, every single penny of spending on healthcare. Even after doing that, there would still be a deficit or, in other words, a black hole in their budget.
That budget shortfall would be even worse under independence because the SNP want to shut Scotland’s oil and gas industry down, despite so much of our taxes coming directly from the North Sea sector.
This year’s accounts were bolstered heavily by an increase in oil and gas tax receipts. Revenues rose from £2.4 billion to £9.4 billion.
As my colleague, Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Liz Smith, said: "The figures also wholly reaffirm the case for ensuring our oil and gas sector continuing to play a key role in Scotland's economy for years to come."
But, if the SNP got their way, we would be winding down our oil and gas industry as quickly as possible. Not only would that leave Scotland forced to import costly Russian energy from Vladimir Putin’s regime, it would also expand the gap between what we raise in tax and what we spend on public services. It's just another gaping hole in the SNP's reckless plans to separate Scotland from our neighbours in the rest of the UK.
This year's GERS figures have once again demonstrated the economic strength and security we gain as part of the United Kingdom.
And they have also shown beyond doubt the glaring weaknesses in the SNP's fiscal plans. The economic case for independence is weaker than ever before. GERS proves conclusively that we are better together.
