Following the spending review announced today by the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, leader of the Conservative Councillor group and Conservative candidate for the Scottish Government elections in 2021 Cllr Tim Eagle said;
“The SNP must be dizzier than ever as they try to spin what should be a very positive story into another ‘lets bash the UK Government’ campaign.
The chancellor said himself that the spending review will help people in every corner of Scotland, and so it will.
Scotland will receive £2.4billion in extra funding in 2021, that is double the £1.2billion funding provided in 2019 and is on top of over £8billion in funding already guaranteed to the Scottish Government as part of the recovery to the Coronavirus crisis.
The SNP are trying to focus on public sector pay but the chancellor announced a pay rise for more than a million nurses, doctor and others working in the NHS as well as at least £250 for the 2.1million public sector workers who earn below the median wage of £24,000. The Scottish Government will get that money through consequentials and can pass on to NHS workers in Scotland.
We have also seen a commitment to fast track growth deals in Scotland with Moray alongside Tay cities and Borderlands all being fast tracked from 15 years to 10 years. This is huge for Moray with levels of investment which will have very positive effects.
Then there is £1.3 million for a global underwater hub in Aberdeen for subsea engineering, investment in broadband, projects for better mobile coverage, green industries, free ports, access to a £14.6billion UK Wide fund for research and development which is great for Scottish universities and £2,000 for every new apprentice employers hire.
On top of this is yet more with £570 million to support farmers and £14million to support fisheries in Scotland.
The new UK infrastructure bank will help support our post-covid economic recovery with £1billion for the UKs net zero climate change target.
Scotland will also benefit from the consequential of £15billion for test and trace in England.
Far from being the bad day the SNP would have us believe the Chancellor has laid out a huge investment in Scotland with specific mentions of Moray. The question has to be how the SNP will ensure they bring forward a budget which matches this level of ambition."
