Devolved Authorities: Use of Resources

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd April 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

To ask His Majesty’s Government whether they are considering ways to ensure that resources allocated to the devolved authorities are used for the specified purposes.

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Wilson of Sedgefield) (Lab)]

The UK Government primarily use the Barnett formula to calculate the devolved Governments’ block grant funding. This funding is not ring-fenced, given the devolved Governments’ full flexibility to allocate it across devolved areas according to their own priorities and local circumstances. The devolved Governments are accountable to their parliamentary legislatures and, ultimately, their voters for their decisions. The recent settlement is 20% more funding than equivalent UK government spending in other areas of the UK. These settlements are the largest in real terms since devolution, totalling £86 billion. This Government are securing Britain’s future through the plan for change, which is delivering security and renewal by kick-starting economic growth to put more money into working people’s pockets and the NHS and to secure our borders.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

I am grateful to the Minister for a helpful response, but is he aware that the Supreme Court case on the definition of gender is just the latest of 10 court cases which the SNP Scottish Government have taken there, costing over £7 billion? Surely something can be done to make sure that they spend UK taxpayers’ money on things such as the city growth deals and replacing the Grenfell-style cladding on the 5,000 premises in Scotland where people’s lives are still in danger.

[Lord Wilson of Sedgefield (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that question. I want to focus on the big issue that is confronting this country—whether it is Ireland, Scotland, Wales or England—which is growth. My noble friend pointed out that the city region and growth deals are funded by the UK Government. The Scottish Government are receiving £119 million in 2025-26 for city and growth deals. The Government confirmed at the Autumn Budget that investment in the Argyll and Bute growth deal will continue to be available and will be supported by a rigorous value-for-money assessment as part of the review. The £25 million Argyll and Bute growth deal was signed in March 2025. There are other elements to growth in Scotland: one of the main ones is that GB Energy will be based in Aberdeen.