Barnett boon

Leah Gunn Barrett’s “understanding” of the Barnett formula (Letters, 18 January) demonstrates precisely why nationalist diehards are so easily taken in by SNP disinformation.

She points out that Scotland’s spending on the NHS has “always been higher than England’s” and consequently a 3.4 per cent increase in England’s NHS budget does not translate into a 3.4 per cent increase in Scotland’s. She does not seem to be aware that since the NHS is devolved then the choice to spend a higher or lower percentage of the total budget on the NHS – or any devolved responsibility – is entirely within the gift of the Scottish Government. It can choose to crow about, for instance, “free” prescription charges which obviously amount to billions of pounds more being spent on the NHS here but it cannot then turn around and demand that the UK Government should foot the bill!

The Barnett formula is a positive boon for the Scottish people, which explains why John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon were so desperate to ensure it stays in place. Ms Barrett correctly points out population growth is lower in Scotland yet the percentage share allocated by the Barnett formula remains as it was. Consequently 9.2 per cent of UK spending is undertaken for Scotland though the population is 8.3 per cent of the UK’S. This results in over £2,000 more being spent on every man, woman and child in Scotland compared to the UK as a whole.

These figures come from GERS, on which Ms Barrett then turns her fire. Once the “authoritative publication on

Scotland’s finances” according to Alex Salmond, the only SNP First Minister to have been an economist, the GERS reports are independently produced by Scottish Government statisticians and are issued by the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy. Why on earth, if they are “bogus”, do the SNP publish them on the Scottish Government website!

Colin Hamilton

Edinburgh