HC Deb 09 December 1981 vol 14 cc849-50
6. Mr. Ancram

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how per capita public expenditure in areas for which he is responsible compares with similar public expenditure for the United Kingdom as a whole.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. George Younger)

Identifiable public expenditure per head, which includes some expenditure not within my direct responsibility, remains about 20 per cent. higher in Scotland than in the United Kingdom as a whole.

Mr. Ancram

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on that answer. Does he agree that it shows clearly the great concern of the Government for the people of Scotland and gives the lie to the protestations of the Opposition that the Government have neglected Scotland for the past two and a half years?

Mr. Younger

I am grateful to my hon. Friend.

Mr. Maxton

I bet you are!

Mr. Younger

I continue to do everything that I can to ensure that public expenditure in Scotland matches the needs of Scotland. I claim that this very much does that.

Mr. Gordon Wilson

Does the Secretary of State realise that Scotland is subsidising England hand over fist by exporting to the Treasury this year alone £4,000 million of oil revenue? In view of the terrifically high rate of unemployment in Scotland, does he think that this money, or a good part of it, should be deployed on the regeneration of the economy of Scotland and the provision of jobs for young and old?

Mr. Younger

I disagree totally with the hon. Gentleman. Scotland has much larger sources of supply through being part of the United Kingdom. Spending is higher per head in Scotland than in any other part of the United Kingdom. I thought that the hon. Gentleman would have welcomed that.

Mr. Craigen

What efforts has the Secretary of State made to ensure that Scotland gets a high percentage of public purchasing by Government Departments and nationalised industries?

Mr. Younger

We watch this matter all the time. It is an extremely important point. In regard to North Sea oil related expenditure, United Kingdom firms get between 70 and 80 per cent. of the associated business. Of that, roughly half goes to Scottish firms. We do our best to maximise this at all times.

Mr. Bill Walker

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is time that the myth about oil was destroyed? Is it not the case that if the median line were extended out to sea there would be considerable doubt whether Scotland could claim the oilfields? Could not the Orkneys and Shetlands claim a substantial part of them as theirs?

Mr. Younger

I agree with my hon. Friend. The vast majority of Scots people regard themselves as part of Great Britain and are glad to take part in the exploitation of oil as part of Great Britain.