This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7323408.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Finance secretaries meet amid row Swinney demands more UK funding
(about 4 hours later)
Finance Secretary John Swinney is to call for an end to what he believes are attempts by the UK Treasury to "bully" the Scottish Government. Finance Secretary John Swinney has called for an end to what he says are attempts by the UK Treasury to "bully" the Scottish Government.
In a meeting with his UK counterpart Yvette Cooper, Mr Swinney will argue that Scotland is being short-changed. Mr Swinney met his UK counterpart, Yvette Cooper, in London and demanded £100m extra cash as well as the safeguarding of existing rebates.
Mr Swinney has previously criticised the Treasury for questioning the cost of a proposed local income tax. He will now take the argument to a special committee designed to resolve devolution disputes.
The Treasury said it was only right that ministers questioned financial plans throughout the UK. The Treasury described the talks as "constructive".
The meeting between Mr Swinney and Mrs Cooper, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has been planned for some time. Mr Swinney told Mrs Cooper that the Treasury's stance over funding was "unacceptable" and that Scotland was being short-changed.
'£750m reduction' The meeting between the two finance secretaries had been planned for some time.
However, it has been given extra urgency as tensions rise between London and Edinburgh over the level of funding to which Scotland is entitled. 'Financial black hole'
Mrs Cooper will use the talks to reiterate the argument that the SNP's plans to scrap the council tax and replace it with a local income tax could result in a huge financial black hole in the Scottish Government's plans. However, it was given extra urgency as tensions increased between London and Edinburgh over the level of funding to which Scotland is entitled.
She has claimed in a letter to Mr Swinney that the 3p local income tax envisaged by the Scottish Government would raise £750m less than the amount currently raised by the council tax. Mrs Cooper reiterated the argument that the SNP's plans to scrap the council tax and replace it with a local income tax could result in a huge financial black hole in the Scottish Government's plans.
She had claimed in a letter to Mr Swinney that the 3p local income tax envisaged by the Scottish Government would raise £750m less than the amount currently raised by the council tax.
But Mr Swinney is adamant £400m of council tax benefit should continue to come to Scotland, even if the specific tax is abolished, because it is part of the existing Scottish block grant.But Mr Swinney is adamant £400m of council tax benefit should continue to come to Scotland, even if the specific tax is abolished, because it is part of the existing Scottish block grant.
He will also argue a proportion of the extra £1.2bn funding for prisons in England should be allocated to Scotland under existing funding rules. Mrs Cooper also refused to allocate to Scotland a proportion of the extra funding given for prisons in England.