The SNP has been urged to “stop dragging its feet” on flooding and outline how it will spend £5 million of relief money the UK Government provided almost a fortnight ago.
At First Minister’s Questions today, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said people and businesses in the worst-hit areas were waiting for Scottish Government action.
On December 29, the UK Government announced an additional £50 million of funding, which provided ministers in Scotland with £5 million thanks to the Barnett Formula.
But today, Nicola Sturgeon was still unable to say how this money would be spent.
This is despite a number of schemes up-and-running in the north of England, including work to restore soils, rebuild tracks and repair flood channels.
Ruth also pointed out that local authorities have been critical of the Scottish Government’s claims that future flood defences are fully funded, and that some farmers and crofters who’ve been impacted by the floods are still waiting for support cash months after it was promised.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: “The flooding we have seen across Britain has been devastating for thousands of people.
“Now the people who have been worse-affected want to know how they are going to be supported as they try to recover from this.
“The UK Government handed ministers in Scotland an additional £5 million nearly a fortnight ago, but there doesn’t seem to be any plan on how this should be used to help struggling homeowners.
“People in areas of Scotland are looking across the border and wondering why they are not being given the same level of help as their southern neighbours.
“Councils are saying they are ‘bemused’ by claims future flood defences fully funded, and farmers and crofters are still waiting for support cash months after the SNP promised it.
“The Scottish Government must explain why it is not matching the action we are seeing down south.”