Humza Yousaf has defended the Scottish Authorities committing an additional £5 million to its local weather justice fund in the identical week as nurses have been advised "there isn't a extra money".
The under-pressure SNP well being secretary visited Wishaw Basic Hospital as we speak simply hours earlier than the Royal Faculty of Nursing (RCN) introduced its members had change into the newest NHS employees to vote for strike motion.
The latest Scottish Authorities pay supply is for a flat charge of £2,205 per individual backdated to April - however is broadly anticipated to be rejected.
Talking earlier than the strike motion was confirmed, Yousaf stated: "We haven't any extra money, as John Swinney has made completely clear."
He blamed UK Authorities "mismanagement for the financial system" for inflicting runaway inflation that has depressed take house pay for employees and wiped tens of millions of kilos off the Holyrood well being funds.
Yousaf insisted Westminster must be serving to devolved nations settle the pay dispute with nurses because it was "primarily a UK-wide strike".
"I'm naturally disillusioned that a report pay deal appears to have been rejected," he stated. "From my perspective, dialogue is the best way by way of this.
"I'm dedicated to averting a strike - I do not assume the commerce union desires it, I actually don't need it."
He added: "My plea to the UK Authorities is - that is primarily a UK-wide strike. We'd like extra money from the UK Authorities as haven't any extra money. There's nothing behind the couch.
"So we actually want the UK Authorities to assist us out, notably as so most of the pressures like inflation, proper by way of to the price disaster, come straight from mismanagement of the financial system."
It comes because the Scottish Authorities this week confirmed an extra £5 million of funding to assist international locations within the International South most impacted by local weather change.
Requested how ministers may say there was no extra money at a time when Nicola Sturgeon was attending the COP27 convention in Egypt, Yousaf stated: "Folks within the International South are struggling tragedy - the won't have meals or shelter
"Taking cash away from them, and reinvesting it again in Scotland, you may make that argument if you want, nevertheless it's not one I subscribe to.
He continued: "I feel the character of the issue we face right here is one that's triggered predominantly by the UK Authorities's mismanagement of the financial system.
"There is not any doubt about. The Scottish Authorities's well being funds is price £650 million much less simply attributable to inflation."
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