SNP rejects Tory offer of talks on Forth bridge cash

THE Scottish Government last night snubbed a Conservative offer of talks over how to fund the new bridge over the Forth.

The Tories moved to strike a deal with the SNP in the expectation of winning the next general election and being the party in power when vital funding decisions are made.

Chris Grayling, the shadow work and pensions secretary, and David Mundell, the shadow Scottish secretary, issued the offer of talks at a briefing on the economy in Edinburgh.

But it was rejected by SNP ministers, who made it clear they would talk only to those who currently hold power.

There has been a public row between the SNP-led Scottish Government and Labour ministers at Westminster over how to fund the £2 billion bridge.

The spat erupted after the SNP last month said it intended to spread the cost of the bridge over 20 years and pay for it through direct capital funds rather than through borrowing.

But last Friday, Yvette Cooper, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, wrote to John Swinney, the Scottish finance secretary, saying this could not be done, because it would mean bringing forward spending allocations for budgets many years away.

The Scottish Government has called a debate on the matter in Holyrood next week.

At the Tory briefing, Mr Grayling hit out at the SNP's tactics of "gripe and grievance", but he said Labour was playing into the Nationalists' hands by not talking to them about the alternatives.

He said the Conservatives would not rule out the SNP proposal and would consider it, but added that devolution would only work if the two governments were "willing to sit down and talk in a mature fashion".

Mr Mundell then sent wrote to Mr Swinney offering a meeting.

But a spokesman for the Scottish Government said there were no plans to meet the Tories. He said Mr Swinney had written to Ms Cooper asking to meet her, and he saw this as the priority.

"It's the Treasury ministers we will meet because that is the relevant relationship," he said. "The Tories can have their say in the debate."

The spokesman also rejected the suggestion the two governments were not talking about issues that affect Scotland. He said it was the SNP that had restarted the joint ministerial committee as a forum for discussion between the UK government and the devolved administrations.

"The two governments have productive talks all the time, and we look forward to meeting with the Treasury to discuss the bridge funding issues," he said.

But the Tories said they were astonished by the rejection of the talks offer, especially as they were still bullish about forming the next UK government, even though their lead in the polls has slipped in recent weeks.

Mr Mundell said: "It is an extraordinary response. The SNP is more interested in picking fights than building bridges."


Minister pledges Waverley Line push

MINISTERS have sought to reaffirm their commitment to rebuilding part of the Borders railway line by announcing that preliminary work will start this year.

The Scottish Government said "advanced" works on the Edinburgh-Tweedbank route would start by March and continue throughout 2010.

This includes moving pipes and cables, and other preparatory environmental work.

Stewart Stevenson, the transport minister, said the main work would start next year, as has already been signalled by Transport Scotland, which is in charge of the £235-295 million project. Trains are due to start running on the new 31-mile line in 2013.

However, it was also admitted that the official process for appointing a contractor, which should have started last month, is not yet under way.

Doubts have dogged the project because it is due to be finished two years later than previously expected and the cost has increased by a third.

Mr Stevenson said contractors "continue to express a strong interest" in the project, despite its novel proposed funding method. This will involve a non-profit making consortium managing construction and running the line separately from the rest of the rail network. Details of the scheme for potential contractors should have been published by the end of last year. Transport Scotland said it anticipated issuing them "shortly". Last month, John Swinney, the finance secretary, announced funding to accelerate the advanced works "in this financial year".

Nicholas Watson, a Borders councillor who opposes the line, said: "The latest review shows the business case is weaker than ever, and with so many calls on public money now would be the perfect time to drop this hot potato."

ALASTAIR DALTON