Costs at Scotland Office 'out of control'

COSTS at the Whitehall department which covers Scottish affairs have "spiralled out of control" according to the SNP.

New figures from the annual report of the Scotland Office – the tiny department which oversees non- devolved matters north of the Border – show that its administration costs have doubled since devolution to 7.2 million.

The Nationalists last night used the figures to step up their calls for the entire department to be axed.

The Scotland Office is headed by Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy but, following devolution, it now runs on a shoestring budget.

SNP MP Angus MacNeil said: "Since devolution the remit of the Scotland Office has shrunk but its budget has spiralled out of control."

He added: "The Scotland Office costs over 7m a year to run. Instead of endangering vital services with a 500m cut to the Scottish Government's budget – absolutely the wrong thing to do in a recession – Gordon Brown should look to Dover House and get rid of this Government department which is neither use nor ornament."

However, a Scotland Office spokesman hit back, pointing out that the Scottish Government's budget has similarly doubled since 1999.

"It is unclear what his thoughts are on that parallel issue," the spokesman said.

He went on: "There has also been a good deal more legislation to tackle problems in Scotland from Westminster over the last two years than has come from Holyrood."

He went on: "The Secretary of State for Scotland has said from the outset he will work with anyone for Scotland and has a strong track record in doing so, including numerous meetings with Scottish Ministers – including the First Minister and finance secretary – to do what is best for Scotland."

"That includes producing a 1 billion package for the Forth Road Bridge, bringing a 100m jobs fund to Scotland to help youth unemployment, providing a strong voice for Scotland at Cabinet level and making devolution work."