A RENFREWSHIRE MP branded yesterday's UK Government budget statement 'uninspiring and out of touch'.

Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Mhairi Black made the comment after Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered the statement in the House of Commons announcing plans on tax, housing and travel.

In his speech Mr Hammond pledged a £1.5billion package to address concerns around the delivery of Universal Credit with the seven-day initial waiting period for processing of claims to be scrapped.

Claimants will also get 100 per cent advance payments within five days of applying from January.

The National Living Wage will also be increase by 4.4 per cent in April 2018 from £7.50 an hour to £7.83 and Scottish police and fire services will get refunds on VAT from April 2018.

But Ms Black said she was largely unimpressed with the promises made.

She said: “This budget is uninspiring and out of touch with the hardships that so many in society are currently facing.

“There are things to be welcomed, including increasing the minimum wage, but to continue calling it a living wage is an insult to the intelligence of the public. 

“Tinkering around the edges of Universal Credit will not solve the gargantuan problems it will create for so many when it rolls out in full.

"Issues around the six-week waiting period, and issues for the self-employed will still be there.

“The issue of the Scottish Police and Fire services being charged VAT was finally addressed, but not before the Chancellor credited the Scottish Tories for bringing this issue to his attention.

"To be clear, the SNP raised this issue 140 times in Westminster and were ignored.

"It seems the Chancellor was really saying vote how we want you to vote or we’ll starve your public services.”

Elsewhere Renfrewshire veterans charities Erskine Hospital and Bravehound received £124,031 and £530,000 respectively from LIBOR fines.