THE NEED FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT

Below is an extract of an item which recently appeared on the politics.co.uk website:

CEP: Barnett Formula under fire at Liberal Democrat Spring Conference
Monday, 10 Mar 2008 08:52

Mr David Wildgoose, representing the Campaign for an English Parliament at the meeting, gave precise information how the Formula worked to the advantage of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over England. 'The Barnett Formula', he informed the meeting, 'is based upon Nationality and not upon public expenditure need.' He provided the details '.

First, 'While last year's government spending in England per head of population was £7,121, in Wales it was £8,139 (14% more), in Scotland £8,623 (21% more) and in Northern Ireland £9,385 (32% more).'

Second, 'In addition every extra pound spent in England automatically triggers an additional 10.66% payout to Scotland, a 6.02% payout to Wales and a 2.87% payout to Northern Ireland. This means that any capital projects taking place in England are automatically made a total of 20% expensive, because they instantly trigger extra Barnett Formula funding.'

Third, 'As an example, this is why the proposed CrossRail project means a financial bonanza in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland got an extra £500 million payment from that project.'

Fourth, 'However, it is a one-way process. Capital projects elsewhere in the UK don't result in a single penny of extra funding for England.'

Fifth, 'One of Gordon Brown's last actions as Chancellor of the Exchequer was to slash the English NHS capital budget by a third. £2.1 billion taken from the English NHS whilst the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish budgets were left untouched. And of course, any steps taken to return that money to the English NHS will trigger automatic payouts to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.'

Mr Wildgoose concluded: 'This injustice applies across the whole spectrum of Government Services. For example, the people of the North-East are on average 13% poorer than the people of Scotland, but despite this they receive less government spending. Remember, the Barnett Formula is based upon Nationality, not Need. The Barnett Formula isn't just fuelling resentment in England, it is also funding separation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Because unequal, assymetric devolution that deliberately ignores England is all about Separation'.