Swine flu funding call rejected

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Scottish secretary Jim Murphy rejects calls for swine flu vaccination funding

Calls for Westminster to foot the bill for vaccinating everyone in Scotland against swine flu have been rejected by the Scottish secretary.

Jim Murphy dismissed the Scottish Government's plea to be given £100m in contingency funding.

He said the costs should be met from within the budgets of the devolved administrations.

Scotland's health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, called for the UK Treasury to make contingency funds available.

Mass vaccination is the agreed policy of health ministers across the UK, but those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland want the Westminster government to pick up the bill.

Nicola's got to be careful that she isn't seen to be playing politics with this issue Jim Murphy Scottish Secretary

In a BBC Scotland interview, Ms Sturgeon argued that mass vaccination was in line with policy across the UK and should be paid for by the Treasury.

She said: "We think it's right the UK contingency funding should be available, as it was for example during the foot-and-mouth outbreak."

Mr Murphy said Ms Sturgeon and health agencies were "doing a good job" but added: "Where I disagree, is that Scotland should have additional money over and above anywhere else in the United Kingdom.

"The health service in Scotland has to be treated in the same way as the health service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"I think Nicola's got to be careful that she isn't seen to be playing politics with this issue. I don't think she intends to but I think there's an element of that creeping in."

Another 21 new cases of the infection have been confirmed in Scotland, bringing the total so far to 647.