HL Deb 16 December 1998 vol 595 cc147-8WA
Lord Selkirk of Douglas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which funds, currently managed in Whitehall, will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament; and [HL279]

Whether all funds currently made available to the Scottish Office will be available to the new Scottish administration; and, if not, what are the reasons for any exceptions; and [HL280]

Whether any extra funds will be made available to the Scottish Office in respect of new or enhanced responsibilities; and whether they will specify these responsibilities and the sums required. [HL281]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Since funding for the functions transferred to the Scottish Ministers will be available to the Scottish Parliament, government departments are currently reviewing their programmes, in consultation with the Scottish Office, in the light of the Scotland Act to establish precisely what funds currently managed by departments other than the Scottish Office relate to functions which will transfer to the Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the need for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Parliament. The Government intend to publish the funding arrangement for the Scottish Parliament, together with those of the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly, in due course.