Devolved nations’ power grab fear

Finance ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have hit out at controversial moves by Westminster to start funding projects in devolved areas like roads and education.

They have branded the plans an attack on devolution and warn that the UK

Internal market Bill, which aims to create a UK single market after B rex it, could even undermine major capital spending projects.

The UK Government has already admitted that the legislation may breach international law and there is anger over provisions in the Bill which will see the Westminster take over the deliver y of replacements for the EU funding programme in Scotland.

This had traditionally been done by Holyrood.

Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said :“It put sat risk funding for a whole host of capital programmes – schools, hospitals and infrastructure.”

But a UK Government spokesman played down the concerns.

“This bill gives Parliament the opportunity to deliver our own programmes that work for the whole UK,” he said.