This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6978665.stm

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
SNP to outline 10 new bills plan SNP to outline 11 new bills plan
(about 7 hours later)
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is to make public his first legislative programme for government.Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is to make public his first legislative programme for government.
The SNP administration is expected to set out plans on a least 10 bills for the coming year, as well as further measures not requiring legislation. The SNP administration is expected to set out plans on 11 bills for the coming year, as well as further measures not requiring legislation.
Mr Salmond is facing an upcoming Treasury spending round which is likely to be tight, but he will tell MSPs that a lot can be done with a little. Mr Salmond is facing an upcoming Treasury spending round which is likely to be tight but he will tell MSPs that a lot can be done with a little.
Opposition critics have said his plans fall short of the SNP's promises.Opposition critics have said his plans fall short of the SNP's promises.
Mr Salmond is expected to pledge legislation giving patients a bigger stake in health policy, including direct elections to health boards.Mr Salmond is expected to pledge legislation giving patients a bigger stake in health policy, including direct elections to health boards.
It's an exciting moment in the still relatively new SNP administration in bringing forward our first programme for government Alex Salmond spokesman 'Weighty constraints'
There will be more modernisation of the courts system and a bill to reform the law on rape in a statement likely to last about 20 minutes.There will be more modernisation of the courts system and a bill to reform the law on rape in a statement likely to last about 20 minutes.
A bill to scrap bridge tolls has already been published, and ministers also want to legislate to scrap the graduate endowment.A bill to scrap bridge tolls has already been published, and ministers also want to legislate to scrap the graduate endowment.
But they also intend to act without the need for formal legislation, for example scrapping prescription charges for those with chronic conditions and pegging back business rates.But they also intend to act without the need for formal legislation, for example scrapping prescription charges for those with chronic conditions and pegging back business rates.
The minority Scottish government has stressed that new legislation will be delivered to serve a specific purpose, not for its own sake. BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor said there are "weighty constraints" on Mr Salmond.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond described the mood of ministers as "positive and up-beat". He said: "He does not have a majority at Holyrood and the spending round that is coming up is going to be tight.
He said: "It's an exciting moment in the still relatively new SNP administration in bringing forward our first programme for government, building on the work and the announcements and initiatives that were delivered in the first 100-day period." "So consequently what he is setting out is not just a programme for legislation, it is what he calls a 'programme for Scotland' with a published document to back that up.
The Scottish Government's plans will also be published in a document, as the first minister is grilled on its contents by MSPs in the Scottish Parliament's main chamber. "There will be 11 bills and pretty much all of these will gain support from one or other of the parties. In other words they will get through. He is doing what he can."
He added: "The really contentious legislation that he has in mind, scrapping the council tax and replacing that with a local income tax, he's going to have to consult on that because Labour and the Tories hate it and the Lib Dems don't like the particular scheme."