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Scottish budget expected to pass Scottish budget expected to pass
(about 7 hours later)
The Scottish Government's budget for the coming year is expected to be passed by parliament, only a week after MSPs rejected the spending plans.The Scottish Government's budget for the coming year is expected to be passed by parliament, only a week after MSPs rejected the spending plans.
The SNP minority administration at Holyrood now has enough support, from the Tories and Liberal Democrats, to pass the £33bn proposals.The SNP minority administration at Holyrood now has enough support, from the Tories and Liberal Democrats, to pass the £33bn proposals.
But ministers are still hoping to win backing from Labour and the Greens.But ministers are still hoping to win backing from Labour and the Greens.
MSPs are expected to vote for emergency fast-track measures allowing the Budget Bill to be decided in one day.MSPs are expected to vote for emergency fast-track measures allowing the Budget Bill to be decided in one day.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens combined to vote down the budget last week, saying it had not done enough to see Scotland through the economic crisis.Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens combined to vote down the budget last week, saying it had not done enough to see Scotland through the economic crisis.
'Scarce resources' But the Lib Dems will now vote for the plans after ministers agreed to take forward a strategy on boosting the economy.
But the Lib Dems will now vote for the plans, after ministers agreed to take forward a strategy on boosting the economy. What we are prepared to do to Calman, to the Treasury and to other bodies is to set out the unanswerable case that the Scottish Parliament needs to have the full range of financial and borrowing powers John SwinneyFinance Secretary Finance Secretary John Swinney told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "After last Wednesday we engaged in fresh discussions with the political parties and the Lib Dems have come to us with a proposal about some strategic economic and financial co-operation with the government in a whole number of areas.
It includes SNP ministers making a submission to the Calman Commission review of devolution, on borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament. "The government has had a discussion and come to an agreement with the Lib Dems and we welcome that."
A finance sector jobs task force will also be set up and a review of Scottish public spending carried out. Under the deal, SNP ministers will make a submission to the Calman Commission - which is reviewing devolution - on borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Swinney insisted it was not an embarrassing concession to co-operate with Calman - a forum the SNP had previously refused to work with.
He explained: "What we are prepared to do to Calman, to the Treasury and to other bodies is to set out the unanswerable case, which I think has now become ever more obvious to people with issues such as the Forth replacement crossing, that the Scottish Parliament needs to have the full range of financial and borrowing powers which will allow us to manage our finances in a more effective and efficient way than we do."
Mr Swinney said the issue of borrowing powers was a critical one and he hoped progress could be made by putting the case to the Calman Commission.
The SNP/Lib Dem deal will also involve the creation of a finance sector jobs task force and a review of Scottish public spending.
Despite already having enough votes, ministers said they were looking for the broadest possible support - and have made offers to Labour, which demanded 15,600 new apprenticeships over two years, and the Greens, who have asked for a £100m-a-year scheme for free home insulation.Despite already having enough votes, ministers said they were looking for the broadest possible support - and have made offers to Labour, which demanded 15,600 new apprenticeships over two years, and the Greens, who have asked for a £100m-a-year scheme for free home insulation.
The government has not disclosed details of what has been put on the table, but warned any spending commitments were restricted by a backdrop of "scarce resources".The government has not disclosed details of what has been put on the table, but warned any spending commitments were restricted by a backdrop of "scarce resources".
The emergency parliamentary measures will allow MSPs to take all three scrutiny stages of the Budget Bill in a day, culminating in the final, crunch vote at 1700 GMT.The emergency parliamentary measures will allow MSPs to take all three scrutiny stages of the Budget Bill in a day, culminating in the final, crunch vote at 1700 GMT.