SNP demands Reeves' Budget delivers 'sustainable funding' for hospitals and schools
Shona Robison has called on Rachel Reeves to make extra funding available for hospitals, schools and transport projects as Holyrood is poised for an NHS cash boost in Wednesday’s Budget.
SNP finance secretary Shona Robison has called for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to boost funding for key infrastructure projects that have been put on hold - by reversing a severe cut to Holyrood’s capital spending in tomorrow’s Budget.
Ms Robison has previously warned the Scottish Government has been hit with a “real terms reduction to our UK capital funding of 8.7 per cent over five years”, which “equates to a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion between 2023-24 and 2027-28”.
The lack of funding has forced at least a dozen Scottish NHS construction projects including new hospitals, to be put on hold. Earlier this year, SNP ministers confirmed a review of all capital spending projects was taking place.
Ms Robison has called for Labour to adhere to its pledge to end austerity and boost capital spending for Scotland.
She said: “We have been clear that Scotland faces a deeply challenging financial situation as a result of rising costs and global instability, and I will be updating parliament today on the measures we are taking to keep our finances on a sustainable footing in the face of these challenges.
“However, there is only so far we can go within our limited powers.”
She added: “Funding for hospitals, schools, transport and other infrastructure is vital for economic growth and cutting emissions, so it is important that the Chancellor uses the autumn Budget to deliver sustainable funding for the future and significantly increases capital funding.”
Ms Robison’s plea comes as the UK government confirmed extra NHS funding will be made available in the Budget for appointments and infrastructure projects.
Yesterday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insisted that Ms Reeves’ Budget will “end the era of austerity”. But he raised concerns SNP ministers could squander any extra cash Holyrood will receive.
Speaking in Glasgow, Mr Sarwar said that any extra funding sent to Holyrood “can’t be wasted on SNP incompetence”, adding that “it has to instead be spent on those vital public services that people rely on and on growing our economy”.
Amid reports Labour is wrestling with a funding gap of up to £40 billion in next year’s Budget, which could total £100bn over the next five years, Mr Sarwar has stressed his party will end austerity.
The backdrop to the Budget has been extremely bleak with Ms Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer setting out the gloomy economic context.
But speaking to journalists, Mr Sarwar was adamant his party’s spending plans will “turn that page on 14 years of Tory chaos, division and decline” and will deliver “those things that we promised in the election and be a real game changer for Scotland”.
Asked by The Scotsman if Labour can truly end austerity, given the stark economic backdrop, Mr Sarwar said: “The choice we face in this Budget is do we cut taxes like the Tories did, do we increase taxes on low and middle income households like the SNP did, do we continue the era of austerity - or instead do we ask those with the broadest shoulders to pay a bit more in order to end the era of austerity.
“Do we make the choice to suck money away from our frontline public services like the Tories have done, like the SNP have been doing - or do we put more money and new money to our public services.“
He added: “We are choosing to put new money and new investment into our public services.
“It will deliver on the promises we made in the election, it will deliver on the first steps promise in our manifesto, it will end the era of austerity, it will deliver investment in our public services and it will be a budget that prioritises economic growth. That’s good news for Scotland.”
Labour’s “first steps” that Mr Sarwar was referring to included a vow to cut NHS waiting times. The manifesto committed to using funding raised by cracking down on tax avoidance that would boost health funding in Scotland by an extra £134m a year - which the party pledged would pay for an extra 160,000 evening and weekend appointments north of the Border.
Asked about any additional money being sent to Holyrood, Mr Sarwar said: “I think people expect new money for our NHS to be spent on our NHS. People expect new money for our schools to be spent on our schools.
“What I fear will happen is the SNP’s own financial mismanagement, their own incompetence and their own waste means that new money that is meant for Scotland’s public services instead goes to fix their own mess, their own black hole because of their own incompetence. That will be the wrong thing to happen.
“Any new money that comes to Scotland can’t be wasted on SNP incompetence. It has to instead be spent on those vital public services that people rely on and in growing our economy.”
Ahead of her Budget tomorrow, Ms Reeves has confirmed that the NHS in England will receive funding for an extra 40,000 elective appointments per week - an extra two million NHS operations, scans and appointments a year.
The announcement includes the extra £1.8bn the UK government has invested in elective activity this year since its financial statement in July.
The UK government said this will be supported by a significant increase of capital investment, with new capacity including surgical hubs and scanners, meaning thousands of additional procedures and millions of diagnostic tests, alongside funding for new radiotherapy machines to improve cancer treatment.
That investment would provide the Scottish Government with extra funding to invest in health services and NHS appointments north of the Border through Barnett consequentials, but SNP ministers can use the extra funding any way they see fit.
Ms Reeves said that “our NHS is the lifeblood of Britain”, adding that she was “putting an end to the neglect and underinvestment it has seen for over a decade now”.
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