Shona Robison ‘not going to give up’ in fight for more national insurance cash

Finance secretary Shona Robison has vowed she is “not going to give up” as she seeks more cash from Westminster to help Scotland’s public sector meet higher national insurance charges.

Ms Robison said when GP surgeries, social care providers and others who are “intrinsically part of the public sector fabric” were included, the changes – which are due to come in from April – could cost some £750 million.

This increase in employer national insurance charges could cause “incredibly difficult challenges” across the public sector, she told MSPs on Holyrood’s Finance Committee.

But Ms Robison said the amount of money Scotland would receive from the Treasury to help mitigate the costs was “just above” £321 million.

The issue is now set to be raised with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones at a meeting with finance ministers from the devolved administrations next week.

Speaking ahead of the Finance Interministerial Standing Committee (Fisc) talks, Ms Robison said: “We’re not going to give up on the issue with Treasury.

“We have a Fisc at the end of next week and this will be a major agenda item for the Fisc.

“The Northern Irish and Welsh have got similar issues, we all have a gap of costs here and that is an issue we will address with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury next week.”

The Scottish Government has repeatedly called on the UK Government to fully fund the increase for the public sector, with Ms Robison making clear that ministers at Holyrood do not have the necessary cash to do this.

She said: “The Scottish Government doesn’t have the difference between the £300-odd million from Treasury and the £750 million that will be a cost to those organisations, we don’t have that funding to be able to support sectors in that way through financial support.”

The UK Government has been contacted for comment.