Tory MSP calls for increased funding for Public Services across Lothian

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has spoken about the need to increase investment in public services across the South East of Scotland to meet growing demand – while at the same time his party is urging the Scottish Government to cut the highest rates of tax in line with England!

During a debate at Holyrood yesterday on Scotland’s Population – Meeting the Needs of our Communities, Economy and Public Services – the Conservative MSP said that “Edinburgh and the South East continues to be a resilient region and the only part of the Scottish economy which has seen continued economic growth.”

Mr Briggs went on to say that this should not “mask the huge pressures which are facing our public services.”

Scottish Government funding for NHS Lothian as well as Edinburgh City Council are at their “lowest level” according to Mr Briggs, while the region is projected to have a growing population, leading to greater demands on services.

Local authorities in Lothian have the fastest growing populations in Scotland. 

Midlothian is predicted to have the fastest growing population in Scotland, 13.8%, East Lothian the second fastest at 7.2%, City of Edinburgh sixth fastest, 6.6% and West Lothian seventh fastest, 5.9%. These local authorities all have much faster predicted population growth than the Scottish average of 3.5%.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has previously campaigned for a change to the formula which determines funding for NHS Boards, saying that NHS Lothian has not been receiving their fair share over the last ten years.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “The financial sustainability of delivering public services is becoming more difficult to deliver here in Lothian and it is time for SNP-Green Ministers to recognise this.

“The fact that levels of homelessness and children living in temporary accommodation are at their highest anywhere in Scotland is a direct consequence of not being able to deliver on local housing outcomes.    

“NHS Lothian is seeing an unprecedented demand on services and waiting times for treatments are unacceptably long.”

If only there was a magic money tree …

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has rebuked the UK Tory Government’s reckless ‘growth plan’ …