WES STREETING MP, the new Labour UK Health Secretary, stated when he was shadow health secretary that "all roads lead to Westminster”.

It’s an important statement, and it's true, particularly when it comes to the issue of finance.

As readers will know, the Scottish Government obtains most of its funding from Westminster through the block grant. As such, additional revenue created can come from raising income tax of those at the higher end of the salary scale, or business investment and additional jobs being created, to name just two examples.

For the current financial year, the Scottish Government generated an extra £1.5 billion in tax receipts, which was then invested in the public sector.

I provide this background as constituents will be aware that the Scottish Government this week instigated a re-profiling of £500m of spending.

I use the word re-profiling because, in effect, money will be leaving some budget areas to be spent in other budget areas, including in increasing salaries for public sector workers.

Fourteen-plus years of Westminster austerity now to be continued by the Labour Government, the economic damage of Brexit, a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost-of-living crisis have all placed enormous and growing pressure on the public finances.

In the last three years alone CPI inflation has seen prices increase by 18.9 per cent, which has reduced the value of the pound in your pocket. This also affects the Scottish Government and what it can invest.

Just before the recent election, the Leader of Labour in Scotland, Anas Sarwar MSP stated: “Read my lips: no austerity under Labour.”

Since the election, Rachel Reeves MP, the new Labour Chancellor instigated £22bn cuts to budgets which will obviously affect Scotland. The Labour Government also cut the Winter Fuel Payment just as the payment was to be devolved to Scotland, which will now affect many pensioners locally.

Constituents will also remember that the new Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has indicated that his upcoming budget will be “painful” and that “things will only get worse”.

The decisions taken by Labour since the election certainly indicate the continuation of austerity to many, even if Anas Sarwar disagrees.

During the statement, I asked the Finance Secretary a question regarding free eye examinations, as I know how vital these are to removing financial barriers to people accessing high-quality eye healthcare.

I also chair the Parliament’s cross-party group on visual impairment, so have an interest in this vital service. I welcome the SNP’s commitment to continue to fund these as they’re a key preventative measure in safeguarding people’s eye health.

Fundamentally, while the Scottish Government are determined to continue to improve the lives of the people of Scotland, this will be increasingly difficult under Labour’s Westminster austerity.