John Swinney has been told “more of the same won’t cut it” after his Government was handed a £3.4 billion boost this week.
The First Minister was challenged by Anas Sarwar today to “end the blame game” and invest in public services following the funding announcement by Rachel Reeves on Wednesday.
The Scottish Labour leader claimed Swinney was “desperate to be disappointed” by the UK Budget but had been left with little to complain about.
But the First Minister insisted while the financial statement was a “step in the right direction” it would also “prolong the agony” for some Scots.
Swinney told MSPs: “Where my regret comes from is the fact, in the financial estimates set out by the Chancellor, she’s indicated over the course of a three-year period there will be a £10 billion surplus in the budget.
“But she wasn’t able to find a single penny to lift the two-child cap that is putting and forcing families into poverty in our country today, and I regret that very deeply.
“While there are welcome steps in the Budget, there are issues that will prolong the agony of individuals in our society, and a Labour Government should address that and right the wrongs that they’re presiding over now.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he had been clear the UK Government could not “fix every Tory mess” in one Budget.
“After 14 years of Tory chaos, division and decline, it was a transformative and game-changing Budget for Scotland,” he said. “It delivers on the promises made in the election, ends the era of austerity, provides vital new investment for our public services and prioritises economic growth.
“It includes the largest block grant settlement to the Scottish Parliament in the history of devolution. That’s £1.5 billion of additional funding for the Scottish government this year and a further £3.4 billion next year.
“That means the block grant will be £47.7 billion next year.”
He added: “more money is one thing, how the SNP Government chooses to spend it is another. the fact is that this is an incompetent SNP Government that is bad with taxpayers’ money – more of the same won’t cut it.
“With almost one in six Scots on an NHS waiting list, Scotland’s education system falling down the international league tables, record levels of homelessness and 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation, it is clear we need a change in direction.
“It’s time the First Minister finally ends the blame game, ends the SNP financial mismanagement and waste and ensures that Scots benefit from this transformative budget.”
Swinney insisted there was still “significant uncertainty” stemming from the decision to insulate the public sector from the increase to employers’ national insurance contributions.
“We have to publish a Budget on December 4, and there is currently uncertainty about whether our public finances will be compensated in full for all that’s involved in advance of that Budget,” he said.
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