“The UK Government's pre-budget report will remove an estimated £500 million from the Scottish Government's budget as a result of the UK Health department failure to spend its full capital allocation and so-called efficiency savings to help the UK Government balance its overblown budget.” said Rod Campbell.

 

“Iain Gray has said that Scotland must take it’s fair share of Labour cuts but this bombshell comes on top of the £1 billion of spending that was being withheld from Scotland by the Treasury – including the £120 million of Scotland's fossil fuel levy, the Scottish Government's own underspend, and the failure to apply the Barnett Formula to spending south of the Border in areas such as prisons spending, London Olympics regeneration, and police and firefighter pensions.” continued Mr.Campbell.

 

“£500 million is the equivalent of half the universities budget,or nearly all of the student support budget, or the entire prisons budget, or the entire affordable housing investment. It would endanger spending on climate change, schools, prescription charge abolition and Central Heating and Warm deal budgets.”

 

“North East Fife would feel these cuts very deeply indeed. If, for example, St.Andrews University was to face serious reductions in its budget  and  perhaps  job  losses,  then  this  would  have  many  negative  knock-on  effects  to  the  local  economy. No Fife parents will want to see reduced spending in their children’s schools and nurseries. ” said Rod.

 

"Scotland needs to escape from the financial straightjacket imposed by Westminster, which is why we need the full financial freedom of independence – a Scottish parliament and government with real economic powers so that we can make the right decisions for Scotland.”

 

“It should not go unnoticed that just as Labour are announcing this future financial attack on the Scottish economy the Calman Commission  that  they  set  up  is ruling out the very independent fiscal powers that our Parliament needs to make Scotland strong and competitive.” continued Mr. Campbell.

                                                                                                                                  

"A range of small European nations – such as Norway and Finland, and indeed the Eurozone as a whole – are projected to keep on growing, while the UK plunges into recession. The case for independence is clear.”

  

North East  Fife SNP

 

Press Officers :

Alan Reid