SNP Government NHS allocations to Western Isles "fail to keep pace" with Labour spending increases

24 March 2009

Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands Labour regional MSP said today that the SNP Government’s own figures indicate that their spending on the NHS in the Western Isles "has failed to keep pace with the increases in real terms spending by the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive."

Mrs. Grant said, "Cold statistics tell a different story of the year ahead for the NHS in the Western Isles outside of the Ministerial Mondeo, along with its well-rehearsed soundbite of "record funding" at photocalls.

"The initial revenue allocation for NHS Western Isles for the next financial year is up by £1.4 million which represents an increase in real terms of £600,000.

"By comparison, in each of the last three financial years of the Labour-led Scottish Executive rose in the range of between £1.9 and £4.5 million in real terms.

The capital allocation for next year shows no change whatsoever.

For the second year in succession, the SNP Government has cut the capital allocation to NHS Western Isles to £200,000 in real terms to below what it was compared with 2007-08.

By contrast in each of the last three financial years of the Labour-led Scottish Executive the same allocation rose annually in real terms in the range between £100,000 to £400,000."

Mrs Grant added, "Audit Scotland, who monitor public expenditure, has already said that health boards face ‘considerable challenges ahead.’

"These figures confirm a substandard allocation to the NHS in Western Isles by the SNP Government below the standard set by the previous Labour-led administration in Holyrood."