McMillan Writes to Chancellor

West of Scotland MSP Stuart McMillan has strenuously denied Duncan McNeil’s claim that Inverclyde jobs and community projects are under threat because of ministers’ dithering.

McNeil claimed that a ‘crisis’ had been sparked by confusion over the future of the Scottish Government’s Community Regeneration Fund and said the Community Development Trust’s 100 staff could be affected.

But Mr McMillan says the Government has its hands tied by Westminster as Scottish ministers do not yet know the level of the Scottish Block Capital Grant for 2007/8 which is handed out from London.

He said: “This confusion is yet another example of why our Scottish Government should have control over its own funding. The nonsense of Scotland having to wait to find out how much we will get from Westminster must stop, as it is directly affecting communities in Scotland. I am sure even Duncan McNeil would agree we’re not getting much “union dividend” from this system.”

Mr McMillan also replied to Council leader Stephen McCabe’s demand to know how much money the Inverclyde Alliance will get next year. He said: “I share Councillor McCabe’s concern over this issue and have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the possibility of the Scottish Block Grant’s level this year being trimmed to its lowest ever level since devolution began.

I explained that any cuts will have a major impact on the voluntary organisations in areas of urban deprivation in Inverclyde and have asked for reassurance that there will be no reduction in the Scottish Capital Grant.”