Talking forward of a Scottish parliamentary debate on Wednesday afternoon, employment minister Richard Lochhead accused the UK Authorities of reneging on its promise to exchange misplaced EU funding in full.
The UK Authorities’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which was launched to exchange earlier EU funding, leaves Scotland no less than £151million worse off within the first 12 months of the scheme, Mr Lochhead mentioned.
Preparations introduced by the Authorities earlier this month will see Scotland allotted £32million for 2022/23.
However Scottish ministers have hit out on the funding from the UKSPF, saying it's £151million in need of the £183million they estimate to be an acceptable alternative for the EU Structural Funds.
Scotland would then obtain an additional £55million in 2023/24 and £125million in 2024/25, it's understood.
The Scottish Authorities has mentioned a sum of £162million could be required every year to exchange the funding from the European Improvement Fund and the European Social Fund, rising to £183million every year when LEADER funding and the EU Territorial Cooperation Programmes are included.
Mr Lochhead provides that the UK Authorities has allotted £212million in its first three years, which equates to £337million lower than what the SNP say Scotland would have acquired in EU funding.
He mentioned: “The UK Authorities promised that Scotland wouldn't lose out because of Brexit, as misplaced EU funding would get replaced in full by means of its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
“With a purpose to fulfil this promise, the Scottish Authorities estimates that £183million per 12 months could be wanted to exchange the assorted streams of EU funding.
“In its first three years, the UK Authorities has allotted solely £212million by means of the UKSPF, which is simply 39 % of the required £549million alternative quantity.”
Mr Lochhead additionally mentioned the Scottish Authorities is given no say in how the funds could be spent in Scotland.
He added: “For greater than two years now we have known as on the UK Authorities to make sure Scottish Authorities ministers may form and align this new fund, sharing throughout a broad spectrum of teams, as was accomplished with European funding.
“As a substitute, the UK Authorities is the only decision-maker for the way this funding is used.
“Whereas native authorities will obtain Scottish Authorities assist in delivering funding plans, it's deeply in regards to the allocation of funding doesn't embrace neighborhood teams and the third sector that are essential in tackling poverty and inequality throughout this cost-of-living disaster.”
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