Furore in Scottish Parliament over G8 Summit bill |
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Published
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Sat, 21 May 2005 16:40
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First Minister, Jack McConnell, has scoffed at rumors that the cost of the G8 summit at Gleneagles in Scotland would top £100m. "That cost is not true, and unless circumstances change in an exceptional manner over the course of the next few weeks, the cost of the G8 summit to Scotland will be nowhere near £100m," he told SNP's Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday.
He added that Edinburgh and Perth and Kinross councils would receive financial help. Chancellor Gordon Brown has already pledged £20 million towards the cost of the summit and the rest of the bill is expected to be footed from the Scottish Executive's own resources.
Replying to the SNP's allegation that Scotland's resources were being pledged for a meaningless summit, Mr. McConnell told the Scottish Parliament, "Given the importance of the issues being debated at the summit, and the importance of bringing the world's top tables to Scotland, the ability of the SNP to revert to an introverted, insular, inward-looking position and be concerned about the potential there might be for the odd penny to go awry in Perth or Angus council is, I think, depressing for Scotland."
| The bill for the summit has been fiercely debated in the parliament with Ms Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP deputy leader, saying, "For the First Minister to dismiss this amount as odd pennies is simply not on, and is not how people around the country will feel if they have to fork out for the privilege of hosting George Bush and co. This is Tony Blair and Gordon Brown's show so it is Westminster who should foot the bill." She asserted that the taxpayer had a right to know how much the event would cost and exactly who would pay.
Mr. McConnell replied, "There are basic costs that will obviously be required in ensuring the security round about whatever airports are used. Secondly, in ensuring the transport and accommodation of those supporting the delegations and obviously in assessing the cost of police and other security support for the summit itself." He however declined to state the exact figure required toward policing the event.
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