Treasury and Work and Pensions

The increase in taxation in Ireland has been phenomenal, and the super-fast growth of the Irish economy stimulated by lower business tax rates has been the main factor. I have not heard any other possible explanation from the Government. It is some four or five months since I first raised the issue, and there is still no official Government position on why Ireland’s growth has been three times that of the United Kingdom. Nor is there any answer to my supplementary question: why does Scotland do so badly, only growing at 13.5 per cent. under this Chancellor between 1998 and 2004, compared with 20 per cent. growth for the UK and 61 per cent. for Ireland? That seems to show that the current Chancellor’s model of heavy public spending and public sector dependence in Scotland, which he seems to like so much, is particularly bad for the Scottish people. As we see in the parliamentary Labour party, many of Scotland’s most talented people come to England in search of better jobs.