Give full fiscal powers to Scottish Parliament

Sir, - Donald Lewis (June 3) does not understand the realities of the budget difficulties facing the devolved assemblies.

For a start, the bulk of United Kingdom Government investment is targeted on London and the south east, making it unreasonable to criticise the economic performances of the other regions.

The devolved assembly budgets take the form of a finite grant determined by central government with no powers to raise additional spending by recourse to the money markets.

Any extra money gained by tax-rate manipulation is deducted from the block grant.

The devolved economies are free to establish their own spending priorities and because the Scottish Government has chosen to place emphasis on the social needs of its citizens, it does not follow that its actions can be described as either a profligate waste of resources or economic shortcomings.

Mr Lewis also makes reference to the GERS figures which are at best guesstimates and while the devolved assemblies supply performance data to the statistics people, it is calculated in keeping with a set format convenient for producing reports which require serious adjustment to determine actual economic performance.

It seems that the UK Government is afraid to give the devolved assemblies full fiscal powers in case they show how economically incompetent central government has been. Allan A MacDougall. 37 Forth Park, Bridge of Allan.

Holyrood, Edinburgh: home to Scotland’s devolved administration.