UK RECLAIM SCOTTISH CASH

For immediate use: Thursday 4th November



Attn: NEWSDESKS


POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS


TREASURY MOVE VINDICATES SNP FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT


The SNP today lodged a series of parliamentary questions regarding the Conservative and Lib Dem Government’s decision to end access to End Year Flexibility (EYF) – the ability to carry any unspent resources by the Scottish Government from one year into the next.


The previous Labour administration hoarded money in EYF for pre-election spending splurges instead of investing in jobs and communities. Under the SNP budget management has improved to ensure Scottish resources held by the Treasury are as low as possible. Finance Secretary John Swinney today confirmed in a Parliamentary debate that the Treasury is ending EYF.


SNP MSP and Finance Committee member Joe FitzPatrick and SNP MP and Treasury Select committee member Stewart Hosie have lodged questions to discover whether the Con-Dem government consulted with the Scottish Government, whether alternative arrangements are to be put in place and if access will be allowed to any money currently held in EYF.


Mr FitzPatrick said:


“It seems not content with cutting Scotland’s budget the Con-Dem coalition wishes to reclaim Scottish money.


“This exposes Labour’s ridiculous idea that the SNP should have banked money with the UK Government. If we had followed Labour’s approach hundreds of millions would now be being reclaimed by the UK Government and taken away from investment in the Scottish people.


“Thankfully under the SNP Scotland’s financial management has improved and we do not have the hundreds of millions Labour failed to invest in Scottish jobs or Scottish families stored up for the Tories and Lib Dems to confiscate to cut Labour’s deficit.


“The ludicrous situation of having another administration control Scotland’s finances is shown up by this change to EYF. The Scottish Parliament and Government are not simply a Government department but with this decision it is clear that that is how the new Government intends to behave.


“It is only with the responsibility to properly control Scotland’s finances and grow our economy that we will be able to get out of this ridiculous situation with the UK Government and generate the economic growth we need to build the better Scotland we all want to see.”



ENDS