THE SNP has been accused of “rank hypocrisy” after it emerged Scotland's enterprise agencies have given the defence industry £17m since 2007, despite the party’s high-profile criticism of the arms trade.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown revealed Scottish Enterprise had sunk £13.6m into defence firms since the SNP took office, and Highlands & Islands Enterprise £3.4m.

The money was given in grants, used to buy shares, and to pay for support services.

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The SNP is currently leading calls at Westminster for a halt to arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid concern the Kingdom is using British-made bombs against civilians in Yemen.

Raytheon in Glenrothes makes the laser guidance systems for the 500lb Paveway IV missile, which the UK supplies to Saudi Arabia.

The new information was released in response to a written parliamentary question tabled by Scottish Green MSP John Finnie.

He asked the Scottish Government what public funds that it was responsible for had supported "development, manufacture or marketing in the arms trade" over the past decade.

The government said the jobs quangos had put between £960,000 and £4.2m per year into the arms trade to support employment, an annual average of £1.9m.

However it was not asked to identify which firms were involved.

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Mr Finnie, his party’s justice spokesman, said: “It is rank hypocrisy for SNP MPs, as they have, to condemn the sale of arms from the UK while at the same time the SNP Government is handing out millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to support that very industry.

“The public will be angry public funds are being used to encourage such an abhorrent trade. “By supporting the making and selling of guns and bombs our enterprise agencies are squandering vital funds.

“They must rethink their approach and invest instead in meaningful, lasting employment.

"Scottish Government ministers must lead by example.

“Instead of praising bomb-makers they should face up to modern-day security challenges: conflict over resources, climate change, cyber security and terrorism.

“They should stop funding outdated and immoral businesses and focus efforts on peace and human security."

The Herald’s sister paper, the Sunday Herald, recently revealed former SNP enterprise minister Fergus Ewing had visited the Raytheon factory in Glenrothes in September 2015, shortly after it had been linked to casualties in Yemen.

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A government briefing prepared for him said his “key messages” for the visit were to express “delight” at Raytheon’s support of SNP government policy, and “underline the Scottish Government’s support for Raytheon as a major employer in the Fife area”.

The “top line” was a government recognition of the “vital role” the aerospace, defence and marine sector plays in Scotland’s economy and a desire to see it “grow and prosper”.

Ewing’s briefing note stated: “This government’s priority is to make sure that any company based in Scotland can compete in global markets.”

In his reply to Mr Finnie, Mr Brown said Scottish Enterprise had supported companies “to address the defence market through the relevant deployment of all its support mechanisms, including financial support through grants and equity investment”.

In addition, Highlands & Islands Enterprise had “supported a range of activities in businesses that may be targeting defence contracts as part of their operating strategy”, with public funds used for grants, support for graduate and summer placements, and special advice services.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “These claims misrepresent our position, which is that the use of military force should only be sanctioned by governments where it is lawful to do so and is in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.

"We have raised repeated concerns over the misuse of weapons and support calls for the UK Government to investigate reports that British-made weapons have been used unlawfully against civilians in Yemen.

“The funding Scottish Enterprise have provided has supported companies in diversifying and in developing non-military applications for technology, as well as to secure employment.”