The SNP government has been urged to “dig deeper” to fund the fight against coronavirus.

The call came after Holyrood’s finance committee heard how the Welsh Government have reallocated more than £500 million, despite being smaller than Scotland while SNP ministers, so far, have redeployed around only £250 million in budget revisions.  Meanwhile more than £10 billion has been provided for Scotland by the UK Government.

Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary, Donald Cameron, a Highlands and Islands MSP,  said:

“With more than £10 billion paid out, there’s no question about the UK Government’s commitment to mitigating the impact of Covid-19 here in the Highlands and Islands and across Scotland.

“Now it’s the SNP’s turn to dig deeper to help workers and businesses, especially in the region I represent with its many hospitality and tourism firms, some of which are facing the loss of an entire year’s income.

“This can’t just be a case of the UK Government stumping up the cash and then SNP politicians asking for more despite their own government being so slow to transfer funding to agencies like our councils which are actually providing much of the real support to local residents, businesses and workers.

“There are plenty of funding commitments which can now be reallocated, like the expansion of free childcare.

“Holyrood is one of the most powerful devolved parliaments in the world – it’s time the SNP started using those levers to help in this fight.”