SNP claim Westminster owe Scotland over £1bn

Apr 13 2008

THE SNP have accused Westminster of pocketing more than £1billion that should have gone to Scotland.

They claim it includes £184million Lottery funding diverted to the 2012 London Olympics and £400million in council tax benefits.

But the figures were rejected by the Treasury, who claim Scotland receives "fair and equitable" funds.

SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie said £1.2billion was being withheld - or proposed to be - by Westminster.

He said the amount was the equivalent of £874 for every family in Scotland.

Hosie said: "Scotland is clearly short-changed in a whole variety of areas and the SNP will do all we can to ensure that Scotland gets just treatment."

The SNP's figures include £400million Scotland gets in council tax benefits.

UK Government ministers have repeatedly said this funding would end if the SNP proposed local income tax is introduced.

The SNP total includes £184million of Scots' Lottery cash for the Olympics which they claim should go to good causes in Scotland. And £8.1million foot-and-mouth compensation for farmers.

They say £120million is due to Scotland from £1.2billion of spending on prisons south of the border.

But the Scotland Office in London said: "These are fantasy figures. The SNP have £30billion to spend - more than twice the budget Donald Dewar had."

SHOPPING BILL

Council tax benefit £400M

Olympic lottery £184.2M

Spending review £342M

Farmers compensation £8.1M

Prisons £120M

Olympic regeneration £165M

Security at G8 and St Andrews summits £0.37M

TOTAL £1,219,678,400