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SCOTLAND stands to lose more than £5billion in EU funds over the next four years, the Record can reveal today.

The crucial cash was supposed to be spread across vital areas of spending up to 2020.

But with Brexit on the horizon, Prime Minister Theresa May has failed to guarantee that the UK Government will match the total.

And in Glasgow yesterday, Tory Scottish Secretary David Mundell refused to confirm whether all the cash will be delivered.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for immediate action after announcing a £100million package of investment to stimulate the Scottish economy in the wake of the EU vote.

She said: “It is important that the UK Government also acts and I am calling today for urgent action on two fronts.

“Firstly, early assurance about EU structural funds – and second, a UK-wide stimulus package which through consequential funding would enable the Scottish Government to do more to accelerate capital spending.”

The SNP Government worked out the £5billion total by looking at a series of programmes already bringing benefits to Scotland.

(Image: Getty)

The vast majority is through the Common Agricultural Policy up to 2020, with massive financial

gains for farmers.

They are due to receive 4.6 billion euros (£3.9billion) to develop food, drink and wider rural business, especially in more remote areas.

The European Structural Fund includes 941million euros (£808million) of investment for communities to reduce poverty and boost skills development and economic activity. Seafood and marine sectors were due to receive 107million euros (£91million).

Previous programmes delivered around £49million to 1000 projects, generating around £214million of investment and supporting 8000 jobs, the SNP claimed.

Scottish organisations have secured £186million in research and innovation funding since 2014.

Converted to sterling and coupled to other projects, the overall funding reaches more than £5billion.

The Record asked Mundell to guarantee the funds while he was in Glasgow yesterday. He said: “What Scotland can expect is that we will take these issues very seriously and in a way that ensures we can give people certainty.

“We want to be able to give people certainty but we want to be able to do that in a considered way.

“I just think it’s scaremongering to suggest there isn’t any guarantee people will be helped or supported.”

(Image: Daily Record)

He added: “Just because things are done in a certain way now, doesn’t mean that’s how it will be done going forward. There’s been a lot of criticism of CAP in Scotland, so would people necessarily want the CAP to continue in exactly the same way? We want to listen and take a considered view.”

SNP Europe spokesman Stephen Gethins said: “The actions of the SNP Government stand in stark contrast to the lack of a plan from the Tories at Westminster.

“It is a simple fact that if we accept Brexit and are forced to leave the EU against our will, funding for Scotland will be left in the hands of a Tory Government in London who have never had Scotland’s best interests at heart.”