HS2 rail project will not benefit Scotland

Sir, – I refer to Iain G Richmond’s letter (HS2 is a win-win for Scotland and the UK, Courier, February 17).

Since HS2 will not come as far north as Scotland perhaps Mr Richmond can explain just how this will make connectivity to other parts of the UK faster?

Mr Richmond states that there will be a £10 billion windfall for Scotland via the Barnett formula.

This also needs explaining as I feel he has plucked this number out of thin air.

Thus far HS2 has cost a reported £9bn of taxpayers’ money.

Scotland has to pay 10% of this.

The total cost of HS2 is now put at a conservative £106bn, of which Scotland will have to pay the same 10%.

In addition the money for the construction will be borrowed and added to the national debt.

Scotland has also to pay a share of this debt so how is this a win-win situation for Scotland?

There is of course the additional burden for Scotland as it has to pay a share of the interest payments on the money borrowed in the first instance.

Of course this is not the only construction project that only benefits England that Scotland has to pay a percentage of.

Crossrail, the new sewage system for London, the refurbishment of Westminster and

Buckingham Palace spring to mind as a few such examples.

A win-win situation for Scotland would be independence, as then we would not have to spend money on projects that do not benefit our own country.

Finally, all the construction jobs Mr Richmond mentions will be south of the border, so here again what benefit for Scotland?

Stephen Windsor. The Holdings, Kinfauns.