Robison demands ‘urgent clarity’ from Westminster on funding ahead of UK Budget

Holyrood’s Finance Secretary is demanding “urgent clarity” from the Treasury over whether the Scottish Government will get cash to replicate a funding boost given to Wales.

Shona Robison is hoping to see the cash, delivered as part of the UK Government’s local growth fund, replicated in Scotland.

She raised the issue after it was announced this week that Wales will get £547 million over three years from the fund – with ministers in Cardiff to decide how the money is spent.

The Scottish Finance Secretary raised the issue ahead of a meeting in Edinburgh with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray.

He will meet Ms Robison, together with the finance ministers from the other devolved administrations, at the Finance Interministerial Standing Committee on Friday, with Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford and Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister John O’Dowd both due to attend.

At the talks Ms Robison will also press the UK Government to deliver “real support” to help ease pressures on public services and tackle the cost-of-living crisis in next month’s Budget.

Rachel Reeves will set out her tax and spending plans for the country on November 26, with the Chancellor having already acknowledged she is looking at potential tax rises and spending cuts – stressing that those with the “broadest shoulders” should pay their share.

Ms Robison however insisted the UK Government needs a “change of approach” when it comes to the economy.

The Scottish Finance Secretary said: “The UK economy is struggling and the cost-of-living crisis is causing real harm for people in Scotland.

“This is caused by high inflation, the damaging economic impacts of Brexit, and uncertainty as a result of decisions taken by UK Government, so it is vital we see a change in approach.”

She said the Chancellor should use her Budget statement “to deliver real support for public services, infrastructure and the cost of living”.

Ms Robison insisted: “The UK Government must accept that the Westminster economic consensus has failed and that there is a need for real investment.”

She also said ministers at Holyrood “need urgent clarity on whether local growth funding announced for Wales this week – to be delivered directly by the Welsh Government – will be replicated in Scotland”.

The Scottish Finance Secretary hit out: “Scotland has been short-changed in the past, and we must not be left as an afterthought in the UK Government’s Budget.

“And unless the Chancellor changes course, it will be clearer than ever that we need the fresh start of independence to support our public services and deliver a stronger economy that works for everyone.”

However Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander insisted that the UK  Government had “delivered record funding for Scotland – £5.2 billion extra since the election and £228 million will be delivered across new local growth and community programmes over the next three years”.

He continued: “My first question to Ms Robison and the SNP is where has that money gone?

“The SNP continue to starve local councils of much-needed resources, cutting services to the bone in communities that these funds are designed to help.”

The Labour minister said his party’s manifesto had been “clear that funds will be directly allocated by the UK Government to communities, and after years of attacks on local government by the SNP we won’t apologise for that”.

Mr Alexander said: “Communities need this money – not an SNP Finance Secretary evidently unable to deliver the effective use of public resources that in Scotland we deserve.

“That is why the Scotland Office and the UK Government are committed to ensuring local people with skin in the game in their communities make decisions in local areas.”

Meanwhile a UK Government spokesperson said that Friday’s meeting was “an opportunity to work collaboratively with Scottish Government colleagues”.

The spokesperson said: “The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is looking forward to hearing devolved governments’ priorities for the forthcoming UK autumn Budget.”