Nicola Sturgeon was told to draw up details of the financial support she needs from Westminster during crunch talks with the Prime Minster.
The Sunday Mail can reveal how the offer was made by Boris Johnson during a tense call with Scotland’s First Minister on Friday.
Sturgeon needs cash from the Treasury to fund any lockdown measures north of the border to deal with rising cases of the new Omicron variant.
But she is furious the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are dragging their heels over restarting furlough and other financial measures to allow the hospitality industry and other venues to be closed down.
A UK Government source said: “Public health officials are pushing hard for lockdown and have warned that hospitalisation rates could rocket very quickly.
“The government is understandably very reluctant but the pressure is huge and nobody wants to be accused of once again failing to take action quickly enough.
“There is a feeling that ministers desperately want to be able to allow people at least to enjoy Christmas, and that some sort of fire break lockdown could start immediately after.
“But the experts believe that could be too late to avoid desperate scenes in hospitals up and down the country.
“The Prime Minister has told the First Minister to give him details of what support she believes is needed in Scotland.”
A spokesman for the First Minister insisted Johnson did not ask her to provide proposals that could be considered by the Treasury.
He said: “All public health measures are kept under continuous review. Decisions are informed by the latest scientific and clinical advice as well as careful consideration of the four harms. Any changes will be announced to Parliament.
“The nature and extent of potential further measures is contingent on the UK Government making available the funding necessary to help mitigate the impact that this new variant has on jobs, business and our economy.”
