When the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, not too long ago instructed a gaggle of MPs that devolution in Scotland has been a “catastrophe” he raised an fascinating query. Has handing higher powers to the Scottish authorities been a nasty transfer, and, if that’s the case, for whom?

Johnson’s feedback have been taken as a boon for the independence motion, together with amongst members of the SNP, which is in authorities in Scotland. Even earlier than he mentioned it, polling put assist for Scottish independence at its highest ever – at about 60%. And searching on the information, it does seem that devolution has been related to a interval of fine financial efficiency.

The nice

If we have a look at the Scottish workforce, we discover that Scottish workers seem considerably higher off than their English counterparts. In 1999, earlier than devolution, common (median) weekly wages for full-time Scottish workers have been greater than 5% decrease than their English counterparts. By 2019, that hole had halved. In 2020 (the place warning is required in deciphering the figures as a result of pandemic) they’re really incomes extra, on common than their English counterparts.

This comparability really moderately flatters England, as a result of the price of residing is greater in England. If we evaluate as an alternative the north-west (a area with a bigger inhabitants than Scotland), the place costs are comparable, we see that median full-time wages have been on a par in 1999 however by 2019 Scottish median wages have been almost 5% greater. This has been concentrated on the decrease finish of the revenue spectrum the place enhancements arguably are wanted most.

An analogous story might be instructed by way of productiveness, the place progress in Scotland has been considerably extra speedy than in England (growing from 1.3% beneath that in North West England to a exceptional 6.5% above) within the 20 years since devolution.

The dangerous

Nonetheless, in distinction, by way of life expectancy, Scotland’s efficiency has been mediocre. Scots can anticipate to reside fewer years than the English, Welsh or Northern Irish. Because the pre-devolution interval, life expectancy for Scottish males elevated at a broadly comparable charge to that within the different UK nations (by roughly 4½ years, which is barely lower than England however barely greater than Wales). Life expectancy for Scottish ladies has fallen considerably additional behind that in England.

Nonetheless, this information might be considerably misleading. It’s extraordinarily tough to disentangle historic life-style components from the impacts of coverage. Sure behaviours identified to scale back lifespan are extra frequent in Scotland: we all know, for instance, that Scots usually tend to smoke than the English.

And evaluating Scotland to England as an entire is moderately deceptive since London is driving a major chunk of the enhancements in England. Now we have information on regional life expectancy going again to 2001-3. Scottish life expectancy has elevated by 2.28 years for girls and three.66 years for males throughout that interval and the commensurate figures for England are 2.67 and three.56 respectively. Nonetheless, life expectancy in London has elevated by 3.9 years for girls and a exceptional 4.9 years for males in lower than 20 years. The remaining areas of England look similar to Scotland.

One other space the place one can legitimately criticise the SNP Holyrood administration is on schooling. Scotland spends significantly extra (per baby) on pre-tertiary schooling than any area in England (£6,191 per baby towards £5,216 in England – and the latter consists of the London weighting). But it seems to get poor outcomes. Direct comparisons are tough due to totally different methods – however Scotland’s scores in worldwide comparisons are beneath England’s.

The decision

Scotland’s authorities is much from excellent, and there are clear areas for enchancment. Nonetheless, that could be a failure of a selected administration and never a failure of devolution. Certainly, it’s removed from clear that Westminster would do any higher.

What proof we now have, then, the worst you’ll be able to say about devolution in terms of these components is that the proof is combined. And, usually, it appears to be like good. Certainly, to the extent that the well being disparities evident in Scotland signify a legacy of many years of weight loss plan, alcohol consumption and jobs in defunct sectors equivalent to mining that carried explicit well being dangers, it’s nonetheless too early to evaluate the influence of devolved authorities in tackling deep-seated well being issues.

In financial phrases, removed from being a catastrophe, Scotland has carried out moderately properly because it was handed higher powers. Devolution, we’d argue, is just a “catastrophe” from the attitude of these such because the prime minister, who see the success of a SNP authorities in Holyrood (having been in energy since 2007) as a risk to Scotland remaining within the UK.

If the financial efficiency of Scotland relative to the English areas no less than is something to go by, then the UK wants extra devolution and never much less.

I’m a member of the SNP, nonetheless I’m not actively concerned in its politics.

David Hearne doesn’t work for, seek the advice of, personal shares in or obtain funding from any firm or organisation that may profit from this text, and has disclosed no related affiliations past their tutorial appointment.