Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP, West of Scotland) has responded to today's Budget which contains damaging cuts to the Scottish budget in 2010 - 2011 and could cost thousands of Scottish jobs with dire consequences for businesses and ordinary working families.
Mr. McMillan was responding to the Chancellor's UK budget announcement which identified £500 million of cuts next year for Scotland. The announcement comes on the day new GDP statistics show that Scotland is officially in recession.
Mr. McMillan said:
"This budget is deeply damaging for Scotland. Once again the UK Government has ignored the needs of Scotland.
"The Chancellor today said that you cannot cut your way out of recession and that taking money out of the economy at this critical time would damage key public services. Yet that is precisely what he is imposing on Scotland.
"A £500 million cut to the Scottish budget will impact greatly on the services people need as Scotland moves officially into recession.
"Whilst there are measures that are welcome, for example the Chancellor has listened to the Scottish Governments calls for greater support for savers and pensioners, the fiscal stimulus we desperately need is conspicuous by its absence.
"It is true that Government does have to tighten its belt, just as householders and businesses are doing right across Inverclyde.
"These cuts could see approximately 9,000 people losing their jobs and the effects will be felt across key sectors of the Scottish economy and has potential to impact heavily on Inverclyde.
"It is clear the SNP Government is doing its utmost to protect jobs, skills, business and Scottish families through this downturn and will continue to do so, but this is a damaging budget which severely threatens all the progress being made by the Scottish Government to nurture a strong economic recovery for Scotland".
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