Scottish Budget: 2024 to 2025
The Scottish Budget sets out the Scottish Government’s proposed spending and tax plans for 2024 to 2025, as presented to the Scottish Parliament.
Annex A.9 – Constitution, External Affairs & Culture
Portfolio Responsibilities
The Constitution, External Affairs & Culture portfolio engages at home and internationally to enhance Scotland’s reputation and increase our economic success, prosperity and wellbeing. We also promote Scotland as a great place to live, visit, work, study and do business.
This portfolio is responsible for our constitutional policy and strategy, managing our global affairs network and supporting the culture sector. It is also responsible for the funding of the National Records of Scotland and the British Irish Council.
2024-25 funding will support the culture sector to increase resilience and sustainability, ensure international work supports delivery of domestic policy, and continue to project the values we aim to espouse on the global stage. It allows us to provide the people of Scotland with further information on the opportunities of an independent Scotland within the EU in the Building a New Scotland series, and continue to demonstrate our commitment to EU values, and our alignment with EU policy priorities.
The impacts of COVID-19, Brexit and the rising costs of living and operating have created significant challenges for the culture sector. Scotland’s unique culture is known the world over and is valued at home in and of itself, and also in recognition of the central role it plays in the wellbeing and prosperity of individuals and communities across Scotland.
Our continued and increased investment in Scotland’s culture and heritage will improve the resilience and sustainability of our culture sector and, in tandem with our cross-Government public service reform activity, will support our publicly funded culture bodies to deliver high-quality services, sustainably and equitably, that are fit for the future. We will continue to support the culture sector to deliver highly skilled jobs, successful businesses, and thriving communities. We will work with delivery partners to promote equity of access to our world-class collections and heritage assets and opportunities for cultural and creative participation.
We remain committed to being a good global citizen and to playing our part in tackling global challenges, including climate change, poverty, injustice and inequality. Through our international work we support the National Strategy for Economic Transformation and the transition to Net Zero, highlighting the opportunities to build a hydrogen economy. Across our international and European relationships, we will continue our commitment to internationalisation, supported by the work of our international network of offices. We will continue to build our relationships, celebrate cultural, educational and ancestral connections, and exchange policy ideas to address shared challenges, ensuring Scotland remains a valued and well-connected nation.
Constitution, External Affairs & Culture intended contributions to the National Outcomes
Primary National Outcomes
- Communities
- Culture
- International
- Economy
- Children and Young People
Secondary National Outcomes
- Poverty
- Education
- Fair Work and Business
- Health
- Environment
- Human Rights
For further information on the purpose of the portfolio budget, and contributions to national outcomes (including impacts of spend on equality of outcome) please refer to the relevant portfolio annex in the published Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement.
Constitution, External Affairs & Culture
| Level 2 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culture | 194.5 | 180.8 | 196.6 |
| External Affairs | 26.9 | 27.2 | 26.4 |
| Historic Environment Scotland | 70.1 | 72.7 | 74.2 |
| National Records of Scotland | 59.6 | 33.0 | 34.5 |
| Total Constitution, External Affairs & Culture | 351.0 | 313.7 | 331.7 |
| of which: | |||
| Total Fiscal Resource | 297.1 | 269.4 | 287.4 |
| of which Operating Costs | 15.3 | 15.1 | 16.3 |
| Non-cash | 16.8 | 18.2 | 19.2 |
| Capital | 37.1 | 26.1 | 25.2 |
| Financial Transactions (FTs) | – | – | – |
| UK Funded AME | – | 0.1 | – |
Presentational Adjustments for Scottish Parliament Approval
| Level 2 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Galleries of Scotland (NDPB Non-cash) | (2.5) | (2.5) | (2.5) |
| National Libraries of Scotland (NDPB Non-cash) | (3.2) | (4.1) | (4.3) |
| National Museums of Scotland (NDPB Non-cash) | (3.7) | (3.6) | (3.9) |
| Historic Environment Scotland (NDPB Non-cash) | (3.0) | (4.0) | (5.0) |
| Creative Scotland (NDPB Non-cash) | (1.0) | (0.9) | (1.0) |
| National Records of Scotland - shown separately | (59.6) | (33.0) | (34.5) |
| Total Constitution, External Affairs & Culture | 278.2 | 265.6 | 280.4 |
| Total Limit on Income (accruing resources) | 200.00 |
| Level 3 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Scotland and Other Arts | 76.2 | 64.5 | 75.6 |
| Cultural Collections | 90.0 | 87.9 | 91.9 |
| Culture and Major Events Staffing | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| National Performing Companies | 22.9 | 22.9 | 23.6 |
| Architecture and Place | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Royal and Ceremonial | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Total Culture & Major Events Scotland | 194.5 | 180.8 | 196.6 |
| of which: | |||
| Total Fiscal Resource | 156.7 | 156.6 | 171.6 |
| Non-cash | 10.3 | 11.1 | 11.3 |
| Capital | 27.6 | 13.1 | 13.7 |
| FTs | – | – | – |
| UK Funded AME | – | – | – |
| Level 3 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| International and European Relations | 26.8 | 27.1 | 26.3 |
| British Irish Council | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Total External Affairs | 26.9 | 27.2 | 26.4 |
| of which: | |||
| Total Fiscal Resource | 26.9 | 26.7 | 25.9 |
| Non-cash | – | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Capital | – | – | – |
| FTs | – | – | – |
| UK Funded AME | – | 0.1 | – |
| Level 3 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational Costs | 96.9 | 114.5 | 129.7 |
| Capital Expenditure | 6.5 | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| Less Income | (33.3) | (50.8) | (63.5) |
| Total Historic Environment Scotland | 70.1 | 72.7 | 74.2 |
| of which: | |||
| Total Fiscal Resource | 60.6 | 59.7 | 61.2 |
| Non-cash | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Capital | 6.5 | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| FTs | – | – | – |
| UK Funded AME | – | – | – |
| Level 3 | 2022-23 Budget £m | 2023-24 Budget £m | 2024-25 Budget £m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational Costs | 62.4 | 34.8 | 36.8 |
| Capital Expenditure | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Less Income | (5.8) | (5.8) | (5.8) |
| Total National Records of Scotland | 59.6 | 33.0 | 34.5 |
| of which: | |||
| Total Fiscal Resource | 53.0 | 26.3 | 28.5 |
| Non-cash | 3.6 | 2.7 | 2.5 |
| Capital | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| FTs | – | – | – |
| UK Funded AME | – | – | – |
Contact
Email: ScottishBudget@gov.scot
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