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
The Scottish Government has made regular representations to the United Kingdom Government over end-year flexibility, most recently when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the UK budget. As the member will no doubt be aware, we also joined with the other devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales to make clear to the Treasury our position that we felt that its actions were not acceptable.
Our consistent view is that any funds that are intended for use by the Scottish Government for the benefit of the Scottish people should be used for that purpose and should not be purloined by Her Majesty’s Treasury. I am sure that Mr Whitton will agree that the situation simply underlines the shortcomings of the present financial arrangement and the Treasury rules in the UK, and the need for Scotland to assume full responsibility for its financial affairs.
Our consistent view is that any funds that are intended for use by the Scottish Government for the benefit of the Scottish people should be used for that purpose and should not be purloined by Her Majesty’s Treasury. I am sure that Mr Whitton will agree that the situation simply underlines the shortcomings of the present financial arrangement and the Treasury rules in the UK, and the need for Scotland to assume full responsibility for its financial affairs.
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.