GERS economic figures expected

The Scottish Government is set to publish its economic figures this morning amid fears the uncertainty of Brexit is having an impact on the economy.

The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report estimates tax and spend figures for the last financial year as if Scotland's economy is distinctive from the UK's.

The figures are often used in arguments for or against Scottish independence

In the 2014 White paper on independence the report was described as the "authoritative publication on Scotland's public finances".

Last year's figures were sobering for the Scottish Government, showing Scotland’s public spending deficit had remained the equivalent of three times the UK rate.

The gap is largely because spending per head on public services like health and education in Scotland is £1,400 higher than the rest of the UK, while the tax taken per person is slightly lower when oil revenue is taken into account.