North being 'short-changed' by UK plans to replace funding from the European Union, says Maree Todd
THE Highlands and Islands is being "short-changed" by the UK Government's plans to replace funding from the European Union, according to north MSP, Maree Todd.
The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP says the Shared Prosperity Fund – designed to replace the loss of EU funding following Brexit – allocates £212 million to Scotland over a three-year period. However, Mrs Todd argues £183 million a year is needed to match the level of funding Scotland previously received through EU funding, equivalent to a total of £549 million over a three-year period.
The Highlands and Islands previously received 19 per cent of Scotland’s share of European funding but under the Shared Prosperity Fund, will receive 11 per cent, she claims.
The SNP MSP said: "Scotland is seeing a 60 per cent real terms reduction in funding under the UK government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
"From an already small pot of cash, the Highlands and Islands will receive an even smaller share – just £24 million over three years, an eight per cent reduction in what we would have received from EU funding.
"The Highlands and Islands has benefited greatly in the past from EU Structural Funds, from transformational projects such as the University of the Highlands and Islands to broadband infrastructure.
"The Shared Prosperity Fund represents a bad deal for Scotland and an even worse deal for the Highlands and Islands."
Mrs Todd added: "The UK Government must immediately increase the value of the fund to at least the level provided previously by Scotland’s EU Structural Funds or communities, like those in my constituency, will lose out on vital investment.”
"The Shared Prosperity Fund also represents a power-grab from Westminster. Undermining the devolution settlement, the UK government plans to decide how money should be spent in devolved areas, without any meaningful consultation or engagement with the Scottish Government.
"Had Scotland remained in the European Union, we would have had full involvement with the development of plans for this new programming period."