Budget for Scotland Office up by 20 per cent as cuts bite
THE Scotland Office’s budget has risen by almost 20 per cent over the last five years despite sweeping new powers being handed to Holyrood.
Figures show the department’s realterms budget, excluding so-called “non-voted election expenditure”, had increased for three out of the last five years.
This year’s budget has fallen by 0.4 per cent and it also fell by 2.8 per cent in 2014 but the remaining increases, including a 14.4 per cent hike in 2015/16, had resulted in a 19.9 per cent cumulative rise since 2012/13.
Now SNP MP Margaret Ferrier is demanding to know why the departmental budget has risen when the Scottish Government’s budget has been cut by the Treasury.
The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West claimed the increasing devolution to Holyrood had left the Scotland Office as a “zombie department” and she questioned the need for the extra money.
At the same time, Ms Ferrier claimed, the real-terms Scottish Government budget – excluding council tax benefit, landfill tax, stamp duty land tax and the Scottish income tax as well as the £800 million capital budget increase pledged by Chancellor Philip Hammond in the 2016 Autumn Statement – had led to a cumulative 1.9 per cent decrease over the five years.
Earlier this year, it emerged that communications spending at the Scotland Office had more than doubled since 2011/12 to £426,223.
She said: “The Scotland Office has long been a zombie department with next to no responsibilities and with more powers transferring to the Scottish Government, as [Scottish Secretary] David Mundell so enjoys telling us, it would be interesting to hear his explanation for why his department requires such an enormous increase in its budget.”
A UK Government spokeswoman said: “This year the Scotland Office has ensured the successful passage of the Scotland Act making the Scottish Parliament one of the most powerful devolved governments in the world. It is right we are resourced for the challenges in 2017 as we continue to deliver the remaining powers as well as making sure we get the best deal for Scotland and the whole of the UK as we leave the EU.”