Falkirk West By-election 2000

'Using House of Commons figures as part of the by-election campaign, the nationalists demonstrated that two London commuter towns, where waiting lists are half of those in Falkirk West, are set to receive three times the level of increased funding by the end of the next financial year.' Robbie Dinwoodie in the Herald, 20 th December 2000

Falkirk 'feeling the squeeze'

By Robbie Dinwoodie in the Herald,20 th December 2000

The changes to the needs-based assessment of the original Barnett formula mean that, in years to come public spending in England and Wales will rise faster than north of the border.

Using House of Commons figures as part of the by-election campaign, the nationalists demonstrated that two London commuter towns, where waiting lists are half of those in Falkirk West, are set to receive three times the level of increased funding by the end of the next financial year.

David Kerr, the party's candidate, called this "a bad deal that New Labour has delivered for Falkirk, a bad deal that London Labour's candidate defends."

Over a six-year period until 2002, Croydon and Bromley will see health authority allocations rise by 78% and 76% respectively, while Forth Valley's will rise by only 23%.

But waiting lists have risen 19% in the Scottish area, representing 1.9% of the population, and stand at double the level of those in the two English areas, where they are 0.9% and 1%.

"What London Labour needs to explain to the people of Falkirk West is why Bromley has received health spending increases four times the size of Falkirk," said Mr Kerr.

The stated reason for the revision of Barnett is that Scotland has been receiving much higher per capita public spending allocations from the Treasury than England and Wales.

- Dec 20