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March 5, 2019
TORY MPs CHALLENGED TO BACK FAIR FUNDING FOR SCOTLAND
The SNP has challenged Scottish Tory MPs to back calls for Scotland to get the £3.4billion it is owed by the UK government – as a result of the additional funding Theresa May has given to Northern Ireland in a series of Brexit bungs to the DUP.
Gavin Newlands MP will raise the issue during the passage of the Northern Ireland Bill in the House of Commons today, which will see a further £140million of new funding handed over – while Scotland is set to receive nothing. Scotland’s budget should receive an additional £400million in 2019-2020 as a result of Barnett consequentials for this money.
The extra £140million in funding to Northern Ireland, follows the £1billion in additional funding already given as part of Theresa May’s Confidence and Supply agreement with the DUP. In total, Scotland’s budget should now receive a boost of £3.4billion in Barnett consequentials.
On Friday, Scottish Government Finance Secretary Derek MacKay wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging that the spring statement provides a proportionate amount of additional finance and flexibility to Scotland.
Commenting, SNP Northern Ireland spokesperson, Gavin Newlands MP said:
“Scotland is now owed £3.4billion in missing funding as a result of Theresa May’s Brexit bungs to the DUP. This is crucial money that could be spent on our public services after a decade of deep Tory cuts to Scotland’s budget.
“Scottish Secretary David Mundell has so far failed to secure a single penny for Scotland. It is time that Scottish Tory MPs stopped selling Scotland short and joined with the SNP in demanding our fair share of this funding.
“The UK government must explain when Scotland will receive this missing money, and why they have dragged their heels and failed to provide any announcement to date.
“Yet again, Westminster is failing Scotland and communities are losing out as a result. It is clearer by the day that the only way to properly protect our interests is with independence.”
