Fears over £16bn Treasury cuts

A massive cuts package from the UK Treasury will “create uncertainty” over the future of public spending in Scotland, the SNP government has warned.

The Treasury insisted Scotland’s block grant from Westminster would not be affected by £16 billion in savings that UK Government departments are being asked to identify to pay for any unforeseen “pressures”.

The SNP said it would monitor the changes set out by Chief Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander “extremely carefully”.