Shona Robison has criticised Ian Murray after Reports suggested the Scottish Secretary could bypass Holyrood to directly fund anti-poverty measures.

The Sunday Mail newspaper reported that the Westminster Government could introduce new legislation to allow the Scotland Office to hand £150 million directly to local authorities to tackle poverty.

However, the Finance Secretary said such a move would be “out of kilter” with the “positive” relationship being built between the Scottish and UK Governments.

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Speaking to the BBC, she said the £150 million could have been used to avoid means-testing the winter fuel payment north of the border.

“If that is new money, there is definitely a question mark about why that money is not coming to the Scottish Government, given all of these funding pressures that we have,” she said.

She was asked if she believed the UK Government was “playing politics” with the plans but said there had been a “real difference” in the working relationship between both governments since Labour was elected to power, adding it was “far more open and collaborative”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met First Minister John Swinney in an effort to improve intergovernmental relations following the General Election in July.

However, Ms Robison said: “What I would say about the Secretary of State for Scotland’s actions here is they are out of kilter with all of that.

“And that is disappointing because we should not see a continuation of the previous government’s bypassing of the Scottish Parliament.

“It was unhelpful. It was inefficient as well, it didn’t lead to the best delivery of public finances to the right places.

“What he is suggesting here is out of kilter with a very positive relationship that we are building with the Treasury and other (UK) ministers.”

A UK Government spokeswoman stressed that the Westminster Government wanted to work with the Scottish Government and not go around them.

The spokeswoman added: “The Scotland Office is at the heart of delivering the UK Government’s missions in Scotland, working with the Scottish Government to grow our economy, create jobs and reduce poverty.”