Scottish ministers should make an emergency parliamentary statement on how they plan to spend funding to help flood hit areas, the Scottish Conservatives said today.
The UK Government announced on 29 December that they were spending £50m to support flood affected communities - with all devolved nations receiving their share.
However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament yesterday that Scottish ministers had yet to decide on how to spend the funds.
The Scottish Conservatives are also calling for clarity on whether Scottish ministers intend to set up a Farming Recovery Fund, as set up in England, to help with short term damage to soil, tracks and flood channels.
This morning, the Scottish Conservatives lodged a request with the Scottish parliament for a full ministerial statement from cabinet secretary Richard Lochhead on how the SNP Government plans to fund flood relief.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries Alex Fergusson said:
"The floods are having a devastating effect on families, individuals and businesses across Scotland and it's been a really miserable time for those who have been affected.
"While they continue to wonder what help might be available from the Scottish Government, my constituents are looking at all the help that people similarly affected south of the border are receiving from the UK Government, and are wondering why the Scottish Government aren't doing the same.
"Enough of the bluff and bluster, ministers really need to be explaining what's going on. They are in charge and they have a responsibility to act.
"Councils are struggling with a lack of funding for future flood defences and farmers are still waiting for support cash months after the SNP promised it.
"This is why we're calling for a full ministerial statement to the Scottish parliament.
"The Scottish Government must explain what is going on and how they intend to spend funds which are needed to help people right now."
Scottish Conservative north east MSP Alex Johnstone added:
“The north east has been hit really hard with the floods and families and individuals are assessing the damage and really struggling to come to terms with the damage caused to their homes and property.
"We know that the UK Government allocated £50m to flood support at the start of last week and we know that Scotland gets its share of that - around £5m.
"We now need to know where the money is and what the Scottish Government proposes to do with it. People are suffering and this funding could help them right now.
“That is why we’re calling for a full ministerial statement from Richard Lochhead to the Scottish Parliament at the earliest opportunity so the cabinet secretary can explain what the SNP are doing to alleviate the flooding crisis and how they propose to spend that money.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Ministers must stop dragging their feet on flooding: http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2016/01/ministers-must-stop-dragging-their-feet-on-flooding/
Homes evacuated due to flooding: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35259398
Details of the new Farming Recovery Fund can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/farming-flood-damage-support-announced
Details of the UK Government £50m support for flood affected regions is here. It states that "the government will apply the Barnett Formula to the funding announced so that devolved administrations will receive £7.5m. It is up to them how this money is spent."