All that extra money announced by govt last week not quite what it seems. https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14938

The "Rooseveltian" additional £5.5bn of capital spending represents an increase of precisely zero this year on Budget plans. Is a reallocation from one set of projects to another

The £2bn green homes grant is also funded by underspends from elsewhere (don't know where). Also true of half the £400m for traineeships etc

This may all be (probably is) perfectly sensible reallocation but the lack of transparency is remarkable

It became apparent to us, bizarrely, through the Barnett formula! Allocation to Scottish government following last week's statement was just £21m. That was because total spending envelope so little changed by last week's announcement

In addition OBR reckons the total cost of the jobs package will be nearer £20bn than the (up to) £30bn estimated by HMT. Total net fiscal expansion associated with that package is, then, nearer £10-12bn rather than £30bn one might reasonably have assumed.

This is not a complaint about policy. It is sensible to reallocate money especially at present time. It is a complaint about lack of clarity and transparency. It should not take us @theifs a week to work out what is going on. In part mea culpa, but really more transparency please