A UNIONIST peer has launched a fresh attack on Scottish Government spending, saying there should be “consequences” for the SNP if it is deemed there is spending in reserved areas.

Former Scottish Labour MP and MSP George Foulkes, who is part of a cross-party group set up to ‘rein in’ SNP spending, said it had been formed because taxpayers’ money was being spent on “bad faith” projects at the expense of public services.

Writing in The Herald today, he said it will use a variety of campaign tactics to call for a “thorough spending review”, despite many in Westminster “continuing to plug their ears”.

Last year Foulkes claimed the Scottish Government was to be investigated by UK officials over concerns it had been spending public money on matters not within its remit, but it later emerged no such probe was taking place.

READ MORE: Experts weigh in on Unionist plan to restrict SNP government spending

The formation of the cross-party group with Jim Wallace, the former LibDem deputy first minister, and former Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie, was announced earlier this month.

Foulkes has long called for the Scottish Government to be prevented from spending in areas such as independence and foreign engagement.

He claimed that the issue of the SNP spending taxpayers’ money on “bad-faith projects at the expense of Scotland’s public services” was regularly raised as an issue in emails received by the group of peers. 

He wrote: “An obvious example of this overreach is the huge public spend on new overseas 'embassies' in countries which already have a Scottish Development International (SDI) office.

“SDIs are an excellent example of effective cross-party collaboration, established by the Labour-Lib Dem coalition in 2001, and I believe they play an important role in growing “brand Scotland” on the international stage.

“Their very existence and numerous successes over the years, in drawing trade to Scotland, clearly demonstrates that these new offices are at best vanity projects which perform no function or, at worst, a deliberate attempt to create channels for foreign policy discussions which exclude the UK government.”

READ MORE: UK Government to 'tighten up' civil service rules over indy papers

Foulkes also claimed this caused confusion for governments and businesses trying to communicate with ministers, and that it was fostering a “deep resentment” with Scots who would “rather the money was spent on our NHS and education sector”.

He added: “We have heard this message, despite many in Westminster continuing to plug their ears, and will continue to champion a thorough spending review, through a variety of campaign tactics, until the government finally takes action.

“Unbridled spending is unwise even during times of economic growth, but it is particularly damaging for struggling families during this cost of living crisis.

“It is therefore imperative that we resolve whether these actions can be classed as devolved competencies, as the SNP claim: If so, the legal loopholes must be tightened, and if not, there must be appropriate consequences.”

SNP MSP Bob Doris said: "The people of Scotland will take no lectures from an unelected Lord about how the democratically elected Scottish Government spends their money to better the lives of people in Scotland.

"Lord Foulkes attempts to disrupt Scottish democracy have long become tiresome and I think everyone could do with a break from his ideas.

"The SNP government will continue to work tirelessly to deliver for the people of Scotland each and every day."