BORIS Johnson has been accused of having “contempt for Scotland” after it was revealed that a future Tory government might not hold their next budget until February.
The Scottish Government had been due to publish its draft budget for 2020/21 next Thursday.
Finance Minister Derek Mackay was forced to delay his spending plans last month after Chancellor Sajid Javid postponed his November budget.
He was forced to delay it again when the House of Commons voted to hold a snap General Election.
The size of the Scottish block grant is, in part, determined by the UK budget, the spending and cuts announced by the Chancellor, and the forecasts generated by the independent Office of Budget Responsibility.
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In a blog, the Fraser of Allander Institute said that while it would be possible for the Scottish Government to publish its budget before the UK budget, it would be risky.
They wrote: “There is unlikely to be any clarity on the way forward for some time. The earliest we are likely to have any information on when the UK budget might be is in the week following the UK election, and it seems unlikely that the Scottish Government will commit itself to a particular date for the Scottish budget before then.
“The possibility of a Scottish budget before a UK budget – followed by a series of last-minute amendments – remains an unlikely scenario but cannot be ruled out yet.”
Mackay said that until he knew the size of his block grant his hands were tied: “The Tories have a long track record of ignoring the needs of the people of Scotland, but delaying the UK budget until February – just weeks before the new financial year – is nothing short of contempt for Scotland and for devolution.
“Having wrecked their own parliamentary processes, they want to damage ours too.
“Under the current arrangements, we need a UK budget, before we can set the Scottish budget.”
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