The Telegraph
Scotland spending 30pc more per person than England thanks to Barnett formula, IFS finds
Nicola Sturgeon’s spending on Scottish public services is 30 per cent greater than the equivalent funding in England thanks to the Barnett formula, according to a study published on Wednesday. The impartial Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found a growing cross-Border spending gap, with the SNP administration in Edinburgh having more than £1.30 per person to spend on public services for every £1 in England. Almost all of this difference – 28.9p out of 30.6p – comes from the Scottish Government’s block grant from the UK Treasury, which is calculated using the controversial Barnett formula.