Pre-budget report: Extra £23m for Scotland

Published on Wednesday 9 December 2009 14:39

SCOTLAND will receive an extra £23 million next year following Alistair Darling's pre-Budget statement, the Treasury said today.

• Mr Darling delivers his pre-budget report to the Commons

The extra cash comes because of more spending in England on measures such as extending free school meals and a scrappage scheme for domestic boilers.

Scots Secretary Jim Murphy said: "As well as helping families through the recession we will invest in the industries of the future such as renewable energy, bioscience and the digital economy.

"The Scottish Government budget is higher than ever before and has increased again today by 23 million.

"There has been a huge amount of government spending to get out of the recession and it is right we take a leaf out of Scottish families book by cutting out waste and investing in what is most important.

"I hope politicians in Scotland of all parties will work across the political divides to help find savings and cut out waste in public services and make sure Scotland keeps moving forward."

The Treasury said Scotland will gain from extra cash being allocated to a fund set up in April to support hi-tech projects across the UK, such as life science firms in Edinburgh.

"Technical" changes to the North Sea oil tax system will encourage more investment, it said.

And more than one million people in Scotland will benefit from the above-inflation state pension increases, and up to 7,000 young people stood to gain from guarantees of work, or training for under-24s on the Jobseeker's Allowance. for six months.

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