BUDGET 2013: Scots seethe at slashed spending

Tory Chancellor George Osborne told the SNP government it would have to find the cash for him to funnel into unrevealed capital projects.

SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney was unimpressed by Mr Osborne's £3 billion infrastructure plan - particularly as his own Scottish Budget included £2.5bn for capital projects.

He said there was "overwhelming consensus" that the Tory cuts had hurt the economy.

"The loss of the triple-A status for UK government debt, the possibility of a triple-dip recession for the UK and borrowing forecasts that are higher than the Chancellor originally expected, all confirm the need for the coalition government to adopt an economic strategy focused on growth and not continue with yet more austerity," he said.

STUC general secretary Grahame Smith called Mr Osborne's plans "wholly insufficient."

"The extent of the coalition's failure is laid bare by today's statement," he said.

"Funding this investment through additional spending cuts dilutes any stimulatory effect and the programme is in any case much too small.

The spending cuts would likely render any stimulus "insignificant in economic terms."

"However the additional pain for those affected by the cuts will be very real," he said.