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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| SNP to unveil first Scots budget | SNP to unveil first Scots budget |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Scottish Government is to outline spending plans for the next three years when its first budget is unveiled. | The Scottish Government is to outline spending plans for the next three years when its first budget is unveiled. |
| It comes after SNP ministers said they had received the worst Treasury financial settlement since devolution. | It comes after SNP ministers said they had received the worst Treasury financial settlement since devolution. |
| The minority Nationalist administration needs the support of rival parties to get the budget plans through Holyrood. | The minority Nationalist administration needs the support of rival parties to get the budget plans through Holyrood. |
| Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories have already accused the SNP of breaking a manifesto pledge over delivering new police officers. | Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories have already accused the SNP of breaking a manifesto pledge over delivering new police officers. |
| They claimed the same could follow on a promise for classes no bigger than 18 pupils for the first three years of primary school. | They claimed the same could follow on a promise for classes no bigger than 18 pupils for the first three years of primary school. |
| Labour claimed the SNP had so far put off at least 60 decisions - and said it was now time to deliver. | Labour claimed the SNP had so far put off at least 60 decisions - and said it was now time to deliver. |
| Finance Secretary John Swinney, who will deliver the budget plans in a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, has been holding ongoing talks with local authority leaders on a council tax freeze next year. | Finance Secretary John Swinney, who will deliver the budget plans in a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, has been holding ongoing talks with local authority leaders on a council tax freeze next year. |
| BUDGET PROCESS 14 November - Finance Secretary John Swinney's statement to HolyroodNovember/December - Holyrood subject committees scrutinise relevent portfolio areas19 December - Subject committees report back to finance committee16 January - Finance committee makes reccomendations20 January at latest - Scottish Government lays budget bill before parliamentLate January - MSPs asked to endorse bill general principlesLate January/early February - Bill returns to finance committee for further scrutiny.Early February - Parliament decides, in a final vote, whether to pass the budget. | |
| Mr Swinney is expected to tell MSPs that economic growth will be the top priority, as well as outlining cuts in business rates, support for enhanced skills training and a boost for renewable energy. | Mr Swinney is expected to tell MSPs that economic growth will be the top priority, as well as outlining cuts in business rates, support for enhanced skills training and a boost for renewable energy. |
| He hopes they will agree not to put up the council tax in return for extra funding from government and a new deal to boost their status. | He hopes they will agree not to put up the council tax in return for extra funding from government and a new deal to boost their status. |
| The Treasury announced in October that Scottish Government spending would go up by an average annual rate of 1.8% over the next three years, an increase of between £1.2bn to £3.7bn each year. | The Treasury announced in October that Scottish Government spending would go up by an average annual rate of 1.8% over the next three years, an increase of between £1.2bn to £3.7bn each year. |
| However, while Scottish Secretary Des Browne said the outcome of the budget and spending review was "very good for Scotland", First Minister Alex Salmond said the figures were misleading and that the true increase was 1.4%. | However, while Scottish Secretary Des Browne said the outcome of the budget and spending review was "very good for Scotland", First Minister Alex Salmond said the figures were misleading and that the true increase was 1.4%. |
| Pat Watters, president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), said he hoped a deal could be finalised, but he insisted the final decision on council tax rested with the 32 local authorities. | Pat Watters, president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), said he hoped a deal could be finalised, but he insisted the final decision on council tax rested with the 32 local authorities. |
| He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We need to finalise that today, to allow local authorities to get on and do the job we are best at, which is delivering services. | He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We need to finalise that today, to allow local authorities to get on and do the job we are best at, which is delivering services. |
| We have John Swinney, the cabinet secretary, hours before his budget statement going to Mr Watters cap in hand, desperate to get the announcement that he wants Iain GrayLabour finance spokesman | |
| "I would not do a deal with any government that left local government short." | "I would not do a deal with any government that left local government short." |
| Mr Watters added that the financial settlement was "tight", and he would attempt to ensure the best deal possible was available to local councils. | Mr Watters added that the financial settlement was "tight", and he would attempt to ensure the best deal possible was available to local councils. |
| "There are 32 democratically-elected local councils who will make that decision. I would hope that we can get a deal where councillors can be relaxed about taking that decision," he said. | "There are 32 democratically-elected local councils who will make that decision. I would hope that we can get a deal where councillors can be relaxed about taking that decision," he said. |
| Labour's Iain Gray said that the SNP would soon have a budget of £30bn which he claimed was double what Scotland's first First Minister, Donald Dewar, had. | Labour's Iain Gray said that the SNP would soon have a budget of £30bn which he claimed was double what Scotland's first First Minister, Donald Dewar, had. |
| The finance spokesman told the Good Morning Scotland programme "We have to wait and see what Mr Swinney has in his budget but I suspect the theme will be a budget of broken promises." | The finance spokesman told the Good Morning Scotland programme "We have to wait and see what Mr Swinney has in his budget but I suspect the theme will be a budget of broken promises." |
| The Treasury said Scottish spending would go up by an average 1.8% | The Treasury said Scottish spending would go up by an average 1.8% |
| Mr Gray added: "Pat Watters must feel he's in a very strong position today. "We have John Swinney, the cabinet secretary, hours before his budget statement going to Mr Watters cap in hand, desperate to get the announcement that he wants. | Mr Gray added: "Pat Watters must feel he's in a very strong position today. "We have John Swinney, the cabinet secretary, hours before his budget statement going to Mr Watters cap in hand, desperate to get the announcement that he wants. |
| "His budget, presumably, is already at the printers. So Mr Watters is indeed in a very strong position today." | "His budget, presumably, is already at the printers. So Mr Watters is indeed in a very strong position today." |
| The Tories have set out a series of seven key tests on which they will judge the Nationalists' spending plans, namely taxes, NHS dentistry, affordable housing, justice, rehabilitation, efficiency and improving infrastructure. | The Tories have set out a series of seven key tests on which they will judge the Nationalists' spending plans, namely taxes, NHS dentistry, affordable housing, justice, rehabilitation, efficiency and improving infrastructure. |
| "Our assessment of how far the SNP spending plans go in meeting these tests, together with judgement on the budget as a whole, will determine whether we support or oppose the Budget Bill in Parliament," said the party's finance spokesman Derek Brownlee. | "Our assessment of how far the SNP spending plans go in meeting these tests, together with judgement on the budget as a whole, will determine whether we support or oppose the Budget Bill in Parliament," said the party's finance spokesman Derek Brownlee. |
| Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Tavish Scott, whose party has also devised a series of budget tests, said that any failure of the government to deliver on SNP manifesto commitments would be because it had "promised everything to everyone". | Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Tavish Scott, whose party has also devised a series of budget tests, said that any failure of the government to deliver on SNP manifesto commitments would be because it had "promised everything to everyone". |
| "The SNP are struggling to balance the books on vital public services like more police and teachers," he added. | "The SNP are struggling to balance the books on vital public services like more police and teachers," he added. |