Gove calls on SNP to account for how it spent £200m Brexit cash
MICHAEL Gove has called on the Scottish Government to publish an “itemised account” of how it has spent £200 million it was given to prepare for Brexit.
The Cabinet Office minister said he had heard “one or two voices of concern” from businesses over how the funding has been used.
He said the UK Government had supplied the Scottish Government with “just shy of” £200m to help prepare for the end of the transition period.
Mr Gove made the comments while giving evidence to Holyrood’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, where he also said he was optimistic about a post-brexit trade deal being reached.
Scottish Tory MSP Oliver Mundell raised concerns about a “lack of transparency” from the Scottish Government over how the £200m had been spent.
Responding, Mr Gove said: “It is the case that the money that the UK Government has supplied to the Scottish Government for Brexit preparation is, as you say, around £200m – just shy of it, I think.
“But the key thing is that there has to be accountability for how that money is spent.”
He said he respected the devolution settlement, adding: “I certainly don’t believe it’s my responsibility to say to [Constitution Secretary] Mike [Russell] or to any other Scottish Government minister how that money should be spent.
“But they should be accountable to the Scottish Parliament and the
Scottish people for how it’s spent.
“The National Audit Office audits the UK Government and quite rightly asks questions about expenditure.
“I think that Mike and other Scottish Government ministers should present an itemised account of exactly how that money has been spent, because like you I’ve heard one or two voices of concern from some in business.
“I’m sure that the Scottish Government would be able to allay those concerns if they were fully transparent about that expenditure.”
Mr Mundell said there was a concern that in order to make Brexit seem as disruptive as possible “the Scottish Government might not be passing that money on to businesses and local authorities and might be putting off some of the preparations that we know will be needed whatever the future trading relationship is”.
Elsewhere, Mr Gove said he tried to avoid “pitting parts of the UK against each other” over funding for preparations to leave the EU.
While Scotland has received almost £200m, Northern Ireland has been given £400m from the Treasury.
Mr Gove said it was a “fair challenge” to ask why Scotland did not receive a population-based share of funding, but said he wanted to ensure “that the people of Northern Ireland are able to enjoy the fruits of peace and prosperity”.
He went on to say that the UK was built on “solidarity and sharing”, and would help countries within the union that had faced “challenges” in the past.
Scotland would be entitled to £1.4 billion if the funding was issued based on population, SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said.
Despite appearing to reject the idea of more money for Scotland, Mr Gove said the decision is kept “under review”.
He said: “Pitting one part of the United Kingdom by saying it’s not fair that Northern Ireland benefits... that’s not the sort of thing that I’m terribly keen on.
“My view is that the United Kingdom is built on solidarity and sharing, and that the United Kingdom benefits from the fact that those parts of the UK that may have had a tougher time in the past, we stand by and we support.
“That’s one of the reasons why, from Lanarkshire to Larne, the UK Government spends the money that it does – because we want to show solidarity with those who may have endured, whether it was deindustrialisation in the past, or other challenges.”
SNP MSPS also raised concerns over Northern Ireland’s tariff-free access to the EU and the impact this could have on businesses in Scotland if there is no post-brexit deal.
Mr Gove told MSPS he is optimistic a trade deal will be reached.
He said: “I personally remain hopeful that we will secure an agreement.”
However, he said there are still significant issues and the UK needs to be “ready for every eventuality”.
My view is that the United Kingdom is built on solidarity and sharing