THE Scottish Government has invested a third more than the UK Government in Scotland’s four city deals, according to figures produced by the SNP.
A new city region deal for Edinburgh was announced this week, made possible by a £300 million cash injection from Holyrood. A further £1 billion is to be spent on additional city deals in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness.
While the Scottish Government is injecting over £1.3bn overall, into the four city deals, the UK is contributing £300m less overall, according to Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon MacDonald, who sits on Holyrood’s economy.
He accused the Tories of selling Scots short, saying: “The SNP Government is driving forward development, building new homes and creating jobs across Scotland with more than £1.3bn of city deal funding – that is 33 per cent more than the Tory Westminster Government who have short-changed us by more than £300m.”
The Edinburgh city deal, agreed between the two governments in conjunction with six local authorities and regional partners, promises 15 years of investment in a range of infrastructure, including transport links and cultural centres.
The SNP also vowed to replicate the improvements in Glasgow, with £520m of investment. A further £379m is to be spent in Aberdeen, and £135m in Inverness.
MacDonald added: “This Tory Government has form when it comes to trying to cut Scotland’s budget, but yet again it begs the question – what is the point in David Mundell?
“If he is truly Scotland’s man in the Cabinet rather than the Cabinet’s man in Scotland then he should answer for the fate of our missing millions. It’s time for the Tories to stump up their fair share.
“The Tories’ murky deal with the DUP was a £1bn bung to cling on to power, with no obligation on the Northern Irish executive to match even a penny of that. If they can find the money for that, they can and must find the funds to treat Scotland fairly.”
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