SNP ADMIT THEY ARE TO BLAME FOR WEST SANDS FUNDING CUT - SMITH

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Aug 2008

North East Fife's Member of the Scottish Parliament Iain Smith has reiterated his condemnation of the Scottish Government for cutting the funding to the West Sands re-development.

In a response to a letter to the Scottish Government, about the re-development of the West Sands in which Mr Smith raised his concerns about the withdrawal of Scottish Enterprise funding, Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, admitted that the reason for the withdrawal was due to the funding cuts to Scottish Enterprise as a result of the SNP Government's budget.

Commenting on the response Iain Smith said, "The Scottish Government's cut in the Scottish Enterprise budget is the reason that the full re-development of the West Sands in St Andrews is not going ahead. It is yet another clear example of the SNP saying one thing and doing quite the opposite. On one hand they say that they want to promote tourism but they cut the funding to do so.

"I said at the time that the decision by the SNP to scrap Scottish Enterprise Fife was bad news for North East Fife. This response has in the Ministers own words proved this to be the case."

ENDS