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Scottish public spending deficit rises, say latest Gers figures | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The size of Scotland's public spending deficit has risen, according to the latest Scottish government estimates. | |
In the last financial year the figure rose to more than £12bn, becoming larger than the deficit for the UK as a whole. | |
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said 2012-13 tax revenue was £800 higher per head in Scotland compared with the UK. | |
He said the figures showed Scotland was one of the world's richest countries. | |
The £12bn figure, reported in the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) data, included tax from oil and gas fields in Scottish waters and capital spending. | |
It represented a rise from 5% of national output the previous year, to 8.3% in the 2012-13 financial year, compared with a deficit of 7.3% for the UK as a whole that year. | |
Gers, a guide to the health of Scotland's public finances, contain estimates of Scottish government spending, as well as the share of Whitehall budgets received by Scotland. | |
The figures are also a key pointer to the balance of taxation and spending if voters were to choose Scottish independence in the 18 September referendum. | |
The statistics, covering 2012-13 said: |