SCOTLAND has been “robbed” of a total of almost £2 billion as a result of Conservative spending policies in Westminster, the SNP has claimed.

The party hit out after Philip Hammond insisted the Scottish Government will benefit by an extra £950 million as a result of his Budget.

Setting out his spending plans, the Chancellor said: “My Budget sends a clear message to the people of Scotland – your hard work is paying off.”

But Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said Scotland “continues to be hit by UK austerity and the decision to leave the EU”.

He said: “According to this Budget, the Scottish Government’s resource block grant from the UK Government – the money we are able to invest in day to day public services - remains almost £2 billion lower next year compared with 2010-11. This Budget falls a long way short of delivering for Scotland.”

Mr Hammond said the UK Government’s “careful stewardship of the economy” meant there was “more money to invest in Scotland’s future”.

He said his spending announcements will see almost £1 billion sent to Scotland, including £550 million for the NHS.

Elsewhere, £150 million will be pumped into a Tay Cities Deal to support growth and create new jobs across Dundee, Perthshire, Angus and North East Fife.

Critics pointed out this is lower than the £200 million of funding committed by the Scottish Government.

There were also announcements for key Scottish industries including whisky, oil and gas and fishing.

A freeze on spirits duty will save 30p on a bottle of Scotch, the Chancellor said, while the oil and gas industry will benefit from continuing support by retaining the headline tax rates at their current level.

A UK-wide £10 million fisheries technology fund will also be set up to support the sector as Brexit approaches.

Meanwhile, income tax cuts worth £9.5 billion will pile pressure on the Scottish Government to hand a similar break to the middle-classes when it sets out its Budget in December.

Mr Mackay said Mr Hammond's plans did little to combat the “serious threat” sparked by the UK leaving the European Union.

He said: “With the UK Government’s preferred approach to Brexit set to hit people’s incomes – in Scotland by £1600 a head – the changes in this year’s budget do nothing to alleviate the impact Brexit will have.

“There was little in this budget to boost our public services.

“The Scottish Government has already set out our plans to support the NHS in the years to come and the funding we have received as a result of health spending in England will go to our NHS in Scotland – but so far the UK Government has fallen at least £50m short of what was promised only four months ago.”

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said Scotland had been “robbed” of £1.9 billion as a result of Tory spending policies, with the NHS short-changed and the oil and gas sector ignored.

He said: "There should now be no doubt - that despite the differing lines from the Chancellor and Prime Minister - austerity is here to stay and it's the poorest in society who will continue to pay for it.”

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird said the Tory Government continued to “divide our country between the richest few and the rest of us”.

She said: “The Treasury claim this budget will deliver £950 million more for Scotland over the next three years.

“That’s a drop in the ocean in the context of Holyrood’s £33 billion budget in the last year alone. Don’t believe Tory spin. Austerity is not over.”

Meanwhile, the Scottish Liberal Democrats said Mr Hammond's Budget had missed the chance to give public services and businesses a confident future.

Leader Willie Rennie said: “With Brexit threatening living standards across the UK the Chancellor has neither ended austerity nor addressed the fundamental problems in the economy.

“Everything is overshadowed by the damaging impact that Brexit will have on the UK’s public finances and the skilled workers available to run public services.

"These costs – which could reach £80 billion a year in the event of no deal – risk turning today’s Budget into a tinkering sideshow.

“The Budget misses the opportunity to ensure wealth is fairly taxed. Meanwhile, public services face an uncertain future.

“Liberal Democrats demanded better than this. We needed a Budget that gave people fairer taxes and better public services, and a final say on the Brexit deal. Today, we got none of that.”

Scottish Greens’ co-convener Patrick Harvie said: “Only the Tories could applaud themselves for claiming to end austerity, having shamefully introduced the economically-crippling policy eight years ago.”

Business leaders said opportunities would only be delivered if a Brexit deal could be reached.

Liz Cameron OBE, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “Today’s Budget has been largely positive for business communities across the country.

“The Chancellor has delivered a wide-ranging Budget with key announcements including £150m funding for the Tay Cities Deal, committing to freezing the duty on fuel, whisky, beer, cider and spirits, which will support the hospitality and retail sector, and supporting Scotland’s oil and gas industry.

“Businesses will now look ahead to ensure the UK Government delivers a clear Brexit deal, which enables businesses to plan and prepare.

“Ultimately, today’s Budget will only deliver certainty and economic opportunities if a Brexit deal can be reached and clearly charts our future relationship with the European Union and trading partners beyond March 2019.”

Ms Cameron called on the Scottish Government to adopt “the most competitive business taxation system” when Mr Mackay delivers his Budget in December.

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said more needed to be done to protect retailers at a time of "profound change".

He said: “This year has seen the retail industry come under immense pressure as the impact of disruptive technology and a sluggish economy contend with ever-increasing public policy costs.

"While the Chancellor is right that the industry and our retail destinations need to adapt, regrettably there was little in his Budget which will reduce the burdens facing retailers here in Scotland."

Scottish Secretary David Mundell insisted the Budget was “great news for people in Scotland”.

He said: “The Chancellor’s decisions mean there will be an extra £1 billion to invest in public services in Scotland. 

“I urge the Scottish Government to use this extra money to support the NHS in Scotland, fix the roads, boost Scotland’s economy and reinvigorate Scotland’s high streets.

“The freeze on spirits duty will be a boost to Scotland’s whisky industry, maintaining the favourable tax climate for oil and gas will continue to help support the recovery of the sector, investing in fisheries technology will help support a key Scottish industry, and freezing beer duty will support large and small brewers across Scotland.

“I welcome the significant investment – £150 million – in the Tay Cities Deal.

“The deal will drive economic growth in Tayside, boosting jobs and prosperity throughout the region.”

He added: “In all, the UK Government is investing more than £1 billion in City Region Deals right across Scotland, helping to drive growth in Scotland’s economy.

“On top of our extensive investment in Scotland’s economy, individuals up and down Scotland will benefit from the ongoing freeze on fuel duty and the increase in personal allowance.

"Today’s Budget demonstrates clearly how the UK Government is delivering for people in Scotland.”