Andrew Bowie MP has welcomed the measures brought forward by the Chancellor during his Autumn Statement.
Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a number of measures to support workers across the country. Cuts such as to National Insurance will result in 2.8 million Scottish workers keep up to £750 more in their pockets. The Chancellor also announced that minumum wag would increase to £11.44 giving a full-time worker a £2,000 a year raise.
Other measures included maintaining the freeze on Alcohol Duty until August 2024, permantly extending full expensing for businesses and delivering changes to National Insurance to help self employed workers keep more of the money they earn.
As a result of some of these announcements and others relevant to England and Wales the Scottish Government is set to recieve over half a billion in additional funding through Barnett Consequentials.
The Chancellor's statement comes with the backdrop of positive economic news for the United Kingdom. Latest figures show that the UK economy is growing faster than any other G7 nation, wages are growing, and the Prime Minister has delivered on his pledge to halve inflation.
Following the Chancellor's statement Andrew said:
“The Chancellor’s statement was positive and forward-thinking, with a host of measures that will get Britain growing.
“A cut in National Insurance for millions of workers, the biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, a cut to business taxes and measures to boost business investment by £20 billion. One of the largest ever increases in state pension. Benefits boosted by the rate of inflation next year.
“I am delighted to see a freeze in spirits duty, which will be a huge boost to the growing whisky industry in my constituency and elsewhere in Scotland.
“Taking these measures into account, the UK’s economy is forecast to grow every year over the next four years.
“That is all possible because this Conservative Government’s plan for the British economy is working.”
"It's now time for the SNP government at Holyrood to be as bold and positive."
