Sturgeon in Pension Porkies (Part III)
NICOLA Sturgeon is trying to ‘hoodwink’ the public with claims the UK Government would contribute to Scottish pensions after independence, the Tories have warned.
The First Minister insisted people who have made state pension contributions will still receive their payments if Scotland separates from the UK.
Her official spokesman went further and claimed that, while the Scottish Government would hand over the pension payments, the UK Government would be expected to contribute.
When asked about the issue at First Minister’s Questions after SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said pensions would not be affected by independence, Miss Sturgeon repeated comments from a former UK pensions minister – even though he subsequently clarified them.
Scottish Conservative Covid Recovery spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon was unable to fully endorse the stance of her colleagues because she knows their outrageous spin just isn’t true.
‘Instead, she resorted to quoting comments from then pensions minister Steve Webb in 2014 – despite knowing full well that he subsequently corrected the record, and that the SNP White Paper was clear the Scottish Government would assume responsibility for paying pensions.
‘The economic case for independence has never been weaker. Nicola Sturgeon and her fellow nationalists should stop trying to hoodwink the Scottish public and come clean about the harsh financial realities an independent Scotland would face.’
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘When Scotland votes for independence, as was the case in 2014, the distribution of existing UK liabilities and assets, including those related to pensions, will be subject to negotiation.
‘But the key point is for those in receipt of pensions, and it is what the minister for pensions in the UK Government at the time, Steve Webb, confirmed: that people with accumulated rights would continue to receive the current levels of state pension.’
But Mr Webb clarified his remarks just days later, saying: ‘I would think the Scottish people would expect their Government to take on full responsibility for paying pensions. Similarly people in the rest of the UK would not expect to guarantee or underwrite the pensions of those living in what would then [be] a separate country.’
A spokesman for Miss Sturgeon said: ‘Pensions will be delivered in an independent Scotland by the Government of an independent Scotland but there will be historic contributions made into the UK pot that are owed from that UK side.’
Pressed on why the First Minister referenced Mr Webb’s comments when they were clarified one week later, he said: ‘He is on record saying what he said.’