SNP MPs were last night blocked from voting on England's NHS Funding Bill in a bid to win an extra £4 billion for Scotland's health service.

The group planned to defy Westminster's English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) rules on the basis that the legislation will have a knock-on effect on Scotland through the Barnett formula. 

The SNP had called on the Tories to follow the SNP Government's lead and match Scotland's per capita NHS spending. This would increase funding available to NHS England and allow the Scottish Parliament to increase spending on NHS Scotland by more than £4 billion over the length of this UK Parliament.

However, West Dunbartonshire MP Martin Docherty-Hughes tweeted: "Today #Scottish & #Welsh MPs have been excluded from voting on a Bill which has direct consequences on both our nations #NHS: nevertheless we sought to express our rights & the voice of our constituents #EVEL."

The SNP's depute leader at Westminster, Kirsty Blackman tweeted: "Scottish and Welsh members barred from voting on NHS Funding bill, which has direct consequences for Scotland. English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) is an anti-democratic farce".

Under the SNP, frontline health spending in Scotland is £136 per person higher than in England (6.3%) and social care funding is £130 per capita higher (43%) than in England.

SNP shadow health secretary Dr Philippa Whitford had said: "The Tories must follow the SNP Government's lead and match Scotland's higher level of spending per head on the NHS, which would benefit people across the UK.

"Yet again, the Tories are proving they cannot be trusted on the NHS. By refusing to match Scotland's spending on health and social care the Tories are withholding £4bn of funding that would come to Scotland under the Barnett formula over the length of this parliament - and starving NHS England of the funding it deserves.

"Thanks to the SNP Government's higher spending levels, Scotland benefits from free personal care, free prescriptions, more GPs per person, record staffing, high patient satisfaction, and the best performing A&E services in the UK.

"Westminster is failing Scotland. It is a democratic disgrace that under Tory-imposed EVEL rules Scotland's MPs are being prevented from voting on spending plans that have a knock-on impact on Scotland's Budget.

"The SNP will continue to protect Scotland's NHS - and stand against the threats that come from a Tory-Trump trade deal, Westminster's hostile immigration policies, and a decade of Tory budget cuts, outsourcing and fragmentation."