ICAS Insights: In conversation with Kate Forbes MSP
Join us for a conversation with Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes MSP, to learn about the Scottish Government’s current priorities and response to COVID-19.
This webinar was an opportunity for ICAS Members to hear from Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes MSP.
The Cabinet Secretary talked about the Scottish Government’s fiscal policy, current priorities and response to COVID-19.
During the webinar, Kate Forbes explained that government is working closely with experts, businesses and those in the front line in what she called a “national endeavour”. She called on us all to support this endeavour and, in particular, for ICAS and its members to continue to engage with government in the coming weeks and months.
Three points Kate Forbes left with us to think about in our own time:
- What can we do collectively to support businesses?
- What are the opportunities that COVID-19 presents to us in relation to tax?
- The upcoming budget next year.
Kate Forbes ended the webinar by encouraging CAs to think about how they can contribute to the national endeavour: to take part where they can in debates about the future – be that policy, taxation or the upcoming budget. She also asked us to keep building bridges with government because government needs the advice, guidance and scrutiny of CAs.
Following the recording of the webinar, Kate Forbes sent a letter to ICAS CEO Bruce Cartwright CA to say it had been "a pleasure to be involved and talking to an expansive group of professionals about a topic we are all passionate about". In the letter, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance also makes reference to the Budget 2021/22: Supporting the COVID-19 Recovery consultation and invites ICAS and its members to submit a response. ICAS is currently compiling its response and encourages its members to get in touch with their input on the consultation.