Now every Scot handed extra £1,576 by the State

THE gulf in state spending on Scots compared with people in the rest of the UK has soared to record levels.

Scots now receive £1,576 more per head than the rest of the UK average – the highest disparity seen yet. Last year the gap was £1,448. But despite receiving better public services, people north of the border pay less tax, official figures show.

Across the UK, the state spends £11,954 per head of population – compared to £13,530 north of the border. And while the average Scot pays £11,052 a year in tax, across the UK the figure is £11,358 – £306 more. Last night Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘Without the support of English taxpayers money, the Scottish National Party would have made Scotland into a copy of Venezuela but without the sunshine.’

Scotland receives so much more in public spending as a result of the controversial Barnett formula. Free prescriptions and eye tests are available in Scotland, along with free personal care in old age - none of which are offered to the English.

Scots also get access to some drugs turned ruled out on spending grounds in England – and students do not pay tuition

‘Venezuela without the sunshine’

fees. The public spending disparity was revealed in the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland statistics.

The figures are a new blow to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s dream of breaking up Britain, as they show the huge benefits of the union to Scotland. They reveal an independent Scotland would face an eyewatering £13.4billion funding black hole and its deficit would be one of the highest in Europe – four times the UK’s.

Scotland has also seen its welfare bill swell to a record high of £23.6billion.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell described the level of Scotland’s deficit compared with the UK figure as ‘concerning’. He said the figures ‘also confirm that being part of a strong United Kingdom – the fifth largest economy in the world – is worth nearly £1,900 for every single Scot.

Ms Sturgeon rejected the suggestion higher public spending north of the border despite the deficit was a ‘persuasive argument for the union’.

She said: ‘There are very good reasons why public spending per head in Scotland is higher than it is in the UK, not least the rurality of our population.’