THE Scottish Government will receive a £2 billion boost as a result of UK Government’s additional investment in the NHS, David Mundell has said.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said extra funding was welcome, but warned that Prime Minister Theresa May’s promise to fund the rise through a “Brexit dividend” was “simply not credible”.
The extra resources come after May announced yesterday she is investing an extra £20bn a year in health services in England. Any increase in funding for the health service in England is reflected in the Barnett formula, used to distribute Treasury funds across the devolved nations.
Mundell said: “As a result of the Prime Minister’s significant new investment in the NHS, Scotland will get a £2bn funding boost from the UK Government by 2023-24.
“In the NHS’s 70th year, I urge the Scottish Government to invest this extra money in improving health services in Scotland,” he added.
Robison said: “Under this Scottish Government, we’ve increased NHS funding to record high levels and committed to passing on every penny of health resource consequentials to health investment in Scotland.
“Any Barnett funding is welcome after seeing Scotland’s budget cut by £2.6bn under the current UK Government.
“However, if this is to be funded with personal tax freezes and borrowing, then other UK departments will face funding squeezes to meet the costs of Brexit – and as a result any increases in health could be given with one hand and taken away with the other.
“The devil is always in the detail when it comes to Tories making funding promises.
“The Tories’ claim that this is funded by a ‘Brexit dividend’ is simply not credible as the UK will be paying a £40bn bill to leave the EU. The economic damage of Brexit could cut up to £3.7bn a year from public services in Scotland by 2030 compared with staying in the EU.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel