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This briefing note aims to describe the patterns of public service expenditure in Scotland and to set out a number of issues for the future. In particular, it:
- describes the big picture for public spending in Scotland and compares the amount spent with that in the rest of the UK;
- examines how the amount spent on different service areas compares with the average for the UK as a whole and sets out some causes and consequences of these differences;
- looks at how spending on different public services has changed over time;
- discusses the options and issues in public service spending if Scotland were to vote for independence.
Authors
![David Phillips](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-06/David_Phillips.jpg?itok=wr3uc1L2)
Associate Director
David is Head of Devolved and Local Government Finance. He also works on tax in developing countries as part of our TaxDev centre.
![Person graphic](/sites/default/files/styles/square_desktop/public/2022-06/IFS-person-graphic.png?itok=hWCtTSrz)
Benjamin Deaner
Report details
- DOI
- 10.1920/BN.IFS.2012.00140
- ISBN
- 978-1-909463-12-7
- Publisher
- IFS
Suggested citation
Deaner, B and Phillips, D. (2013). Government spending on public services in Scotland: current patterns and future issues. Institute for Fiscal Studies: IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/government-spending-public-services-scotland-current-patterns-and-future-issues (accessed: 3 July 2024).
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