Scotland Times

Sunday, Oct 13, 2024

Covid: Scotland to receive an extra £220m from Treasury

Covid: Scotland to receive an extra £220m from Treasury

Scotland is to receive an extra £220m from the UK government to help tackle Covid-19.

The Scottish government has made repeated calls for more money from the Treasury as Omicron numbers rise.

It had already said bars and restaurants would receive a £66m support package but hospitality bosses said this was not enough.

The extra funding follows discussions between the devolved nations and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The UK government said the money was on top of the £220m it had already provided from the Autumn Budget.

'More urgency'


However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted to check if this was the case.

She tweeted: ": "Before we get spin on 'doubling', the £220m announced last week was NOT new or additional (it was actually £48m less than we had been expecting). Seeking confirmation if this new £220m is additional (tho if so £48m will just make up last w/k loss) & if it has to be repaid to the extent it is new/additional, @scotgov will make sure it goes in full to helping business and the overall Covid effort."

She further tweeted: "As infections soar and businesses suffer, we still need much more urgency in action/support from UK Gov - so that devolved gov hands not tied. To that end, it was disappointing and frustrating that neither the PM nor the Chancellor attended this evening's COBRA."


The Welsh government was allocated an extra £270m and the Northern Ireland Executive £150m. They both received the same amounts in the Autumn Budget.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Following discussions with the devolved administrations, we are now doubling the additional funding available.

"We will continue to listen to and work with the devolved administrations in the face of this serious health crisis to ensure we're getting the booster to people all over the UK and that people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are supported."

When the Treasury announced £220m of immediate funding earlier this week, Scottish ministers said this had been brought forward from next year and had already been budgeted for.

At the time, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes told the BBC that "tentative" conversations were being held with the Treasury and she was making the case for funds "on every front".

Kate Forbes delivered the Scottish budget earlier this month


Ms Forbes said she had quoted £500m in the Scottish government's request, a figure based on the monthly costs of furlough and grants.

She said: "Ultimately this is about helping businesses right now that are struggling, but also knowing that when we need more support - because none of us can absolutely for definite know how this variant is going to play out - we know that we can access additional support for businesses."

Nicola Sturgeon warned on Friday that Omicron was now the dominant strain of the virus and a "tsunami" was beginning to hit Scotland.

New guidance for shops, hospitality venues and other businesses was introduced on Friday, in a bid to stem the transmission of Covid.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Scotland Times
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Island Orkney council to look at proposals to become territory of Norway
Woman Awarded Over £100,000 After Being Fired for Transgender Tweet
A provocative study suggests: Left-Wing Extremism and its Unsettling Connection to Psychopathy and Narcissism
A Real woman
Brand new security footage has just been released to the public showing the Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building
China's foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong urges British gov't to stop the biased and double standards Hong Kong report
Double standards: UK lawmakers attack EU chief over Ireland claims
Democracy? Not for UK. UK PM rejects Scottish independence referendum, cancel democracy in BVI
UK urged to brace for economic storm
Women's own body dissatisfaction appears to influence their judgment of other women's body sizes
Prince William To Move Family Into Cottage Near Queen Elizabeth II
BOOOOOOS: Tony Blair receives royal honour
Captured Britons sentenced to death in Ukraine
Barbados PM Mia A. Mottley among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People
Today's headlines
"Just One Of the Boys In School:" Years That Shaped Prince Charles
BVI Premier Rubbishes Claim Of Causing COI Delay
Comments on "Human Intelligence in a Digital Age" - A brilliant Speech by MI6 Chief Richard Moore, and the elephants neglected in the room
Bitcoin: BoE Deputy Gov wants to cancel democracy and protect the banks with regulations which infringe on people’s freedom, independence and benefits they get from their own money.
What are the Pandora Papers?
Taiwan-China relations at their 'worst in 40 years'
The attempt to hold Epik.com accountable for the content of its clients' websites is like blaming Gutenberg for the NYT's fake news that dragged the US into the pointless war against the nuclear weapons Iraq never had
×