Scotland to get £5.8bn more for health from spending review

The Scottish Government will receive nearly £6 billion in health funding after the Chancellor’s spending review last month, the UK Government has announced.

Rachel Reeves laid out her spending plans for the next three years last month, with the Scottish Government due to see a £9.1 billion uplift in that period.

But Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison hit out at the announcement, which she said was less than was being offered to Whitehall departments.

On Monday, the UK Government laid out a breakdown of the cash which will be sent north of the border through the Barnett formula as a result of the announcement.

The highest increase will be seen in health spending, with a boost of £5.8 billion.

While the Scottish Government is free to allocate money how it wishes, ministers have consistently said that any increase as a result of health spending south of the border will be passed on to the NHS in Scotland.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray hailed the increase in spending, saying: “The UK Government’s Plan for Change has delivered the largest real terms settlement for the Scottish Government since devolution began in 1999, and ensured a definitive end to austerity in Scotland with £9.1 billion more for the Scottish Government until the end of the decade.

“That’s £9.1 billion over and above record real terms budgets.

“That’s more money than ever before for the Scottish Government to invest in Scottish public services like our NHS, police, housing and schools.

“It is for the Scottish Government to determine how it spends this money.

“It is notable, however, that almost £6 billion of additional funding has been generated by Health spending, and over £2 billion has been generated by spending on education.

“Many Scots will expect to see better outcomes in their schools and hospitals given this record funding.”

As well as the increase to health spending, a further £2.1 billion will come from education funding, £807 million for transport, £451 million for justice and £380 million for housing and local government.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the plans “short-change” Scotland.

“The UK Spending Review document sets out in black and white that our funding for day-to-day spending is set to grow by only 0.8% over the next three years, compared with 1.2% average growth for UK Government departments.

“This will short-change us by £1.1 billion.

“What’s more, we face an estimated £400 million shortfall from the UK Government’s failure to fully fund their employer National Insurance increase.”