Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland 2012-13

Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) is a National Statistics publication. It estimates the contribution of revenue raised in Scotland toward the goods and services provided for the benefit of Scotland. The estimates in this publication are consistent with the UK Public Sector Finances published in February 2014.


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The aim of GERS is to enhance public understanding of fiscal issues in Scotland under the current constitutional framework. The primary objective is to estimate a detailed set of public sector accounts for Scotland through an analysis of official UK and Scottish Government financial statistics.

The key results for 2012-13, excluding revenues associated with the Bank of England Asset Purchase Facility and the Royal Mail pension scheme transfer, are as follows:

  • In 2012-13, total Scottish non-North Sea public sector revenue was estimated at £47.6 billion, (8.2% of total UK non-North Sea revenue). Including a per capita share of North Sea revenue, total Scottish public sector revenue was estimated at £48.1 billion (8.2% of UK total public sector revenue). When an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue is included, total Scottish public sector revenue was estimated at £53.1 billion (9.1% of UK total public sector revenue).
  • In 2012-13, total public sector expenditure for the benefit of Scotland by the UK Government, Scottish Government and all other parts of the public sector, including a per capita share of UK debt interest payments, was £65.2 billion. This is equivalent to 9.3% of total UK public sector expenditure.
  • In 2012-13, the estimated current budget balance for the public sector in Scotland was a deficit of £14.2 billion (11.2% of GDP) excluding North Sea revenue, a deficit of £13.6 billion (10.6% of GDP) including a per capita share of North Sea revenue or a deficit of £8.6 billion (5.9% of GDP) including an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue.
  • In 2012-13, the UK as a whole ran a current budget deficit, including 100% of North Sea revenue, worth £91.9 billion (5.8% of GDP).
  • In 2012-13, Scotland's estimated net fiscal balance was a deficit of £17.6 billion (14.0% of GDP) when excluding North Sea revenue, a deficit of £17.1 billion (13.3% of GDP) when including a per capita share of North Sea revenue or a deficit of £12.1 billion (8.3% of GDP) when an illustrative geographical share of North Sea revenue is included.
  • In 2012-13, the equivalent UK position including 100% of North Sea revenue, referred to in the UK Public Sector Accounts as net borrowing, was a deficit of £114.8 billion (or 7.3% of GDP).

Feedback from users of the publication is welcome. Please address any comments to

Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS)
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Email: economic.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Contact

Email: Mairi Spowage

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