SCOTTISH, WELSH AND NORTHERN IRISH MPs ROUND ON HARMAN OVER SPENDING CUTS DENIAL.

SCOTTISH, WELSH AND NORTHERN IRISH MPs ROUND ON HARMAN OVER SPENDING CUTS DENIAL.

LABOUR PARTY MUST OWN UP OVER IRRESPONSIBLE CUTS.

The UK government faces demands to own up over planned spending cuts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, after Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman, standing in for the Prime Minister, today (Wednesday) flatly denied that spending cuts were planned. This is completely at odds with the comments from the Treasury that an additional £5 billion in cuts are planned as intimated by Stephen Timms, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

The challenges followed a question at Prime Minister's Questions today where SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson MP asked about the inconsistency of Gordon Brown’s calls for greater fiscal stimulus on his visit to America, whilst simultaneously planning to cut public spending across the devolved nations. Responding, Ms Harman said “We are not cutting investment”.

Ms Harman’s denial that cuts were being made were met with three Points of Order by Mr Robertson, Irish MP Gregory Campbell (DUP) and Welsh MP Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru).

Speaking after the exchange, Mr Robertson said:

“Labour’s planned spending cuts are on record and a matter of fact, so Harriet Harman’s denials are downright disingenuous.

“Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are united against these irresponsible spending cuts in the teeth of recession - even labour politicians in Wales and London have voiced their concerns. We must have clarification from Harriet Harman over her remarks.

“Plans to cut public spending may be an inconvenient truth for Gordon Brown while he lectures the world on fiscal stimulus, but his government needs to own up on their reckless plans.

“The US economic stimulus package of President Obama is worth 787 billion dollars and more than half of that is being spent at State level.

“The state of Maryland, for example – which has a similar population to Scotland – will receive some £2.6 billion extra funding, supporting 66,000 jobs over the next two years. Yet in the UK, Gordon Brown is proposing to cut Scottish public spending from 2010 by £500 million a year, in the teeth of a recession, which would destroy 8,700 jobs in Scotland.

“By contrast here, the Labour Government supported by the Conservatives, is planning to cut spending in Scotland by £1bn, cut services in Wales by £500 million and cut services in Northern Ireland by £150 million pounds.

“There is clear blue water the width of the Atlantic between President Obama’s stimulus package, which will support some 3.5 million jobs nationwide, and the budget-cutting response of Gordon Brown.”

MORE INFORMATION.
1. A transcript of Mr Robertson’s exchange at PMQs is detailed below:

Angus Robertson: Mr Speaker, the economic and fiscal stimulus package of President Obama is worth $787bn and more than half of that is being spent at state level. In contrast, in the UK, the Labour Government - supported by the Conservatives - are cutting devolved public spending in Scotland by £1bn, £500m in Wales, and over £200m in Northern Ireland. How can that be sensible or socially just?

Leader of the House (Harriet Harman): We are not cutting investment into Scotland and Wales – far from it but we are saying and I’m sure that hew should agree with this that at a time when public spending is tight we should ensure that ever penny of public spending is wisely spent.

2. A transcript of the points of order following PMQs is detailed below:

Angus Robertson: A point of order, Mr Speaker. In a question to the Leader of the House who I see is leaving the Chamber as I make this point of order – which is unsurprising – I asked about the UK Government’s plans for public spending cuts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These are cuts which have been discussed between the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Northern Ireland, of Wales and Scotland. They are a matter of fact yet the Leader of the House, from the Despatch Box, said “we are not cutting public spending”. Only three short weeks ago, in reply to a question from my Hon Friend, the Member for Meirionydd, regarding the knighthood of Sir Fred Goodwin, the Leader of the House was forced to correct what she said in this Chamber. How can we secure a change today on this question?

Speaker: Order. The Hon Member must not use points of order to extend the Prime Minister’s Question time. The Leader of the House is deputising for the Prime Minister. Mr Campbell. A point of order. We can’t go much further to that point of order.

Gregory Campbell: Further to that point of order, Speaker. At what point can we get clarification in terms of the statement made by the Leader of the House and the factual position as it had been outlined to the First Ministers of the devolved administration.

Elfyn Llywd: Much obliged to you Mr Speaker. The Labour First Minister in Wales is fighting the £500m cuts denied by the Leader today. I wonder why he’s doing that?

4. Detail of the spending cuts are a matter of record:

Professor David Bell, in his evidence to the Finance Committee, stated that the UK government's plans could see the Scottish Budget fall by £380m in 2010/11 alone. Combined with the £126m that is set to come out of the health budget as a result of Barnett consequentials, this equates to half a billion pounds a year - £1 billion over two years. Prof Bell concluded: "…with the "value for money savings", the Barnett consequentials and capital reprofiling, there will be a possibility that real public spending in Scotland will fall during 2010/11 for the first time since the early 1990s." http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/finance/budget/documents/adviserPBR.pdf