Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Scotland's estimated oil revenues fell from £1.8bn to just £60m last year

Scotland's public spending deficit stood at just under £15bn in the past financial year amid plummeting oil revenues.

Official Scottish government statistics showed the country spent £14.8bn more than it raised in taxes in 2015/16, including a share of North Sea revenue.

That figure represented a 9.5% share of GDP, the report said - more than double the 4% figure for the UK as a whole.

Revised figures for the previous year put the Scottish deficit at £14.3bn.

The UK's spending deficit is £75.3bn.

The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) figures estimated that Scotland's share of North Sea revenues fell by about 97% from £1.8bn in 2014/15 to £60m last year, reflecting a decline in total UK North Sea revenue.

But this fall was offset by Scotland's onshore revenues growing by £1.9bn.

Overall, Scottish public sector revenue was estimated as £53.7bn - the equivalent of £10,000 per person, and about £400 per person lower than for the UK as a whole.

Scotland's public expenditure 2015-16 £68.6bn Total spend £23.6bn Social protection

£12.2bn Health

£7.9bn Education

£2.8bn Policing Getty

Meanwhile, total expenditure by the public sector was £68.6bn.

This was equivalent to 9.1% of total UK public sector expenditure, and £12,800 per person - which is £1,200 per person greater than the UK average.

The Gers figures for the 2014/15 financial year, which were published in March, estimated the Scottish deficit at £14.9bn, or 9.7% of GDP, including a geographic share of offshore tax revenue.

But the latest report revised that figure down to £14.3bn, or 9.1% of Scottish GDP.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted the "foundations of the Scottish economy remain strong".

She added: "The lower oil price has, of course, reduced offshore revenues, with a corresponding impact on our fiscal position - this underlines the fact that Scotland's challenge is to continue to grow our onshore economy.

"However, Scotland's long-term economic success is now being directly threatened by the likely impact of Brexit."

'Sharing resources'

The UK's government's Scottish secretary, David Mundell, said the figures "show how being part of the UK protects living standards in Scotland".

Mr Mundell said: "Scotland weathered a dramatic slump in oil revenues last year because we are part of a United Kingdom that has at its heart a system for pooling and sharing resources across the country as a whole.

"It is important that continues and the financial deal between the UK and Scottish governments, struck last year as part of the transfer of new tax and welfare powers to Holyrood, means real security for Scotland."

Douglas Fraser: What do the GERS figures tell us about Scotland's finances?

Image copyright PA

This approach to estimating how much Scots pay in tax, and how much they benefit from spending at all levels of government, goes back to the early 90s.

Conservative ministers in the Scottish Office thought it would help inform the debate on devolution, or at least it would help them make their case against a Scottish Parliament.

The numbers would show, they thought, how much more Scotland gained from the Treasury than it sent south in tax revenues.

That was one of those times when the oil price was low.

Seven years earlier, it was very high and oil revenues were like a gusher.

Read more from Douglas

What's the difference in revenue generated by Scotland per person? Year Excluding North Sea Oil £ Including North Sea Oil £ 1998-99 -200 +100 1999-00 -300 +100 2000-01 -300 +400 2001-02 -300 +600 2002-03 -300 +500 2003-04 -300 +400 2004-05 -300 +400 2005-06 -200 +1,200 2006-07 -300 +1,100 2007-08 -300 +900 2008-09 -200 +1,800 2009-10 -300 +700 2010-11 -400 +1,000 2011-12 -300 +1,300 2012-13 -200 +700 2013-14 -300 +400 2014-15 -400 -100 2015-16 -400 -400

GERS: Extracts from Table E.2 (figures rounded to the nearest £100). The numbers listed refer to the difference compared with the rest of the UK.

GERS: Extracts from Table E.2 (figures rounded to the nearest £100). The numbers listed refer to the difference compared with the rest of the UK.

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