THE full extent and costs of security at the G8 summit at Gleneagles in July will not be made known in case they give too much information away to those planning to disrupt it, the Scottish Executive said yesterday.
Tom McCabe, finance minister with responsibility for overseas relations, indicated that policing costs for the event and the protests being planned in connection with it would not be made public on security grounds.
Yet he also said the country should be welcoming to international protesters and could even attract them to move to Scotland to help reverse its population decline.
He told MSPs that although the final cost had not yet been decided, Scotland had a responsibility to pay some of the total because of its devolved responsibility for policing.
Following the announcement in last week's Westminster budget that pounds-20m was being given to the executive to help meet the summit costs, he sought to reassure councils that there would be funding made available to Tayside Police and Lothians and Borders constabulary, which is expected to face the largest protests in Edinburgh in the days leading up to the meeting in Perthshire.
However, he stressed ministers would not be writing blank cheques.
He told the Europe and external relations committee that the G8 event would be used to send the message that Scotland is a welcoming country, and leave visitors "convinced that this is a place they and their own children should think about coming to, living and studying".
Mr McCabe said of the security costs: "There will be some additional costs which we will cover. It's only proper that, as an area within the United Kingdom which has devolved responsibility, we pay our share of those costs.
"Operation details of what is required are moving targets. I think it might be inappropriate in advance of the summit to identify a global sum because that may indicate to someone the preparations that are in place."
Roseanna Cunningham, the SNP MSP whose Perth constituency includes Gleneagles, gave a cautious welcome to Mr McCabe's remarks on helping councils with costs.
She said: "I hope that this comment marks a real intention by the executive to help out with the costs of the G8 summit, although I will not be holding my breath until I have been able to put some specific pledges to f lesh out the bones of this very vague promise."
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