Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2011
17 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
First Minister’s Question Time
End-year Flexibility
I thank the First Minister for his answer, but do not think that he will expect me to agree with the last part of it.
In November last year, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, told the Finance Committee that devolved Administrations were not “just another Whitehall department”, and that they would be treated differently in dealing with end-year flexibility. He said:
“I certainly do not intend that we would take away underspends at the end of any given year.”—[Official Report, Finance Committee, 25 November 2010; c 2806.]
However, in true Liberal style, he has now done an amazing U-turn. In a letter to John Swinney on 28 February, he said:
“I have decided to abolish the EYF scheme and cancel all existing stocks. This decision applies equally to UK departments and devolved administrations.”
That will cost Scotland around £23 million. Will the First Minister join me in condemning that flagrant act of grand larceny? What will the Scottish Government do to prevent that £23 million from simply disappearing into Treasury coffers?
In November last year, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, told the Finance Committee that devolved Administrations were not “just another Whitehall department”, and that they would be treated differently in dealing with end-year flexibility. He said:
“I certainly do not intend that we would take away underspends at the end of any given year.”—[Official Report, Finance Committee, 25 November 2010; c 2806.]
However, in true Liberal style, he has now done an amazing U-turn. In a letter to John Swinney on 28 February, he said:
“I have decided to abolish the EYF scheme and cancel all existing stocks. This decision applies equally to UK departments and devolved administrations.”
That will cost Scotland around £23 million. Will the First Minister join me in condemning that flagrant act of grand larceny? What will the Scottish Government do to prevent that £23 million from simply disappearing into Treasury coffers?
In the same item of business
David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab)
Lab
5. To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding end-year flexibility. (S3F-2966)
The First Minister (Alex Salmond)
SNP
The Scottish Government has made regular representations to the United Kingdom Government over end-year flexibility, most recently when the Cabinet Secretary...
David Whitton
Lab
I thank the First Minister for his answer, but do not think that he will expect me to agree with the last part of it.In November last year, the Chief Secreta...
The First Minister
SNP
I refer David Whitton to my answer to his first question. It is exactly because we do not have the power to prevent that that we want the financial powers th...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Order.