CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves must “prioritise growth” in next week’s Spending Review, according to the SNP Finance Secretary.

Shona Robison’s remarks appeared to echo those made by Ms Reeves in a speech last Wednesday, when she pledged the review would be “investing in our security, in our health and in our economic growth.”

But she urged a change of course on welfare cuts as well as committing cash to the Acorn carbon capture and storage project, saying: “The UK Spending Review is an opportunity for the UK government to abandon some of its damaging policies such as cuts to welfare support for disabled people, to scrap the two-child benefit cap and to reinstate a universal winter fuel payment.

“We are also aware of the huge impact of the increase in employer’s National Insurance, not least on public services.

“I hope UK ministers will use the Spending Review to fully fund the costs of this tax hike on jobs to vital public services like the NHS.

“We continue to call on the Treasury to use the spending review to change course, providing the funding we need.”