UK health spending pledge could mean extra £2bn for NHS Scotland, claim Conservatives

A promised £20bn boost for the NHS in England would lead to £2bn extra for NHS Scotland via the Barnett formula, the Scottish Conservatives have claimed.

Prime Minister Theresa May announced an annual 3.4 per cent rise in health spending partly funded by what she called a “Brexit dividend”.

The average annual rise since the NHS was founded in 1948 is 3.7 per cent.

Scotland’s health secretary Shona Robison and shadow chancellor John McDonnell have said the claim of the UK getting extra money from leaving the EU is not credible.

UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said former EU funding “won’t be anything like enough”, saying tax rises would be likely.

And Conservative chair of the Commons health select committee Sarah Wollaston described the term Brexit dividend as “tosh” which “treats the public like fools”.

Scotland’s funding formula would mean the extra health spend would be passed on to the Scottish Government, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said.

"I believe the best days for our NHS are ahead of it – this financial commitment by the Conservatives will let our health care professionals work to build a stronger, safer, and better NHS for all of us,” she said.

The SNP’s health spokesperson at Westminster Dr Philippa Whitford said: “The Tory plan to hike taxes shows they are guilty of staggering hypocrisy - having bitterly opposed SNP government moves to boost NHS funding with progressive tax changes in Scotland.

“It is also an admission that years of Tory austerity cuts have failed and damaged our public services. The idea that there will now be some kind of ‘Brexit dividend’ to soften the blow is utterly bogus and even condemned by their own MPs. “

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Anas Sarwar said: “This is an uncosted announcement with a ‘Brexit dividend’ promised plucked straight from the magic money tree, and even then it falls short of what the health service needs to stand still.

“The SNP government must ensure whatever consequentials that do arise from this are passed on to health and social care in Scotland.

“We know health boards are already being forced to make huge cuts over the next four years and that the SNP has repeatedly failed to use the tax powers in the Scottish Parliament to properly fund the health service.”

The UK Government’s own analysis shows Brexit will shrink the economy by £15bn a year.