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More health cash in Scottish Budget 2015-16 plans | More health cash in Scottish Budget 2015-16 plans |
(35 minutes later) | |
Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney said his budget plans would create a "more prosperous and fairer Scotland". | Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney said his budget plans would create a "more prosperous and fairer Scotland". |
Mr Swinney, who is also deputy first minister, was speaking as Holyrood debated his plans for next year. | Mr Swinney, who is also deputy first minister, was speaking as Holyrood debated his plans for next year. |
After the debate, MSPs gave final approval to the 2015-16 budget by 64 votes to 53, with 3 abstentions. | After the debate, MSPs gave final approval to the 2015-16 budget by 64 votes to 53, with 3 abstentions. |
Mr Swinney had told MSPs that frontline health spending would rise by £383m next year, up to more than £12bn. | Mr Swinney had told MSPs that frontline health spending would rise by £383m next year, up to more than £12bn. |
This would include an extra £127m which had not previously been announced, he said. | This would include an extra £127m which had not previously been announced, he said. |
In his statement to the Scottish Parliament, the minister challenged local authorities over teacher numbers, threatening to withhold extra funding if they were not prepared "to sign up to a clear commitment to protect teacher numbers". | In his statement to the Scottish Parliament, the minister challenged local authorities over teacher numbers, threatening to withhold extra funding if they were not prepared "to sign up to a clear commitment to protect teacher numbers". |
Responding to Mr Swinney's statement, Scotland's largest teachers' union, the EIS, slammed the local authority group Cosla for its continuing refusal to sign up to a new agreement on maintaining teacher numbers. | Responding to Mr Swinney's statement, Scotland's largest teachers' union, the EIS, slammed the local authority group Cosla for its continuing refusal to sign up to a new agreement on maintaining teacher numbers. |
'Serious consequences' | 'Serious consequences' |
General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: "It seems that, despite Cosla's repeated statements about its commitment to protect education, their objective is to slash education budgets and cut teacher numbers even further - with serious consequences for pupils across Scotland. | General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: "It seems that, despite Cosla's repeated statements about its commitment to protect education, their objective is to slash education budgets and cut teacher numbers even further - with serious consequences for pupils across Scotland. |
"Teacher numbers have already been, quite literally, decimated over the past decade in that there has been a near 10% reduction in the number of teachers working in our schools." | "Teacher numbers have already been, quite literally, decimated over the past decade in that there has been a near 10% reduction in the number of teachers working in our schools." |
Mr Swinney told the Scottish Parliament: "The health of our population and the education of our young people are two of the most important responsibilities of government and they are at the top of our priorities." | Mr Swinney told the Scottish Parliament: "The health of our population and the education of our young people are two of the most important responsibilities of government and they are at the top of our priorities." |
Labour's finance spokeswoman Jackie Bailie said the extra health spending was as a result of the Barnett consequentials which resulted from extra spending in England. | Labour's finance spokeswoman Jackie Bailie said the extra health spending was as a result of the Barnett consequentials which resulted from extra spending in England. |
She said: "There is not one penny more allocated to health than simply announcing what you would do with the remaining £127m consequentials." | She said: "There is not one penny more allocated to health than simply announcing what you would do with the remaining £127m consequentials." |
On education, she said the finance secretary had not reached a deal with local authorities and had imposed a settlement. | On education, she said the finance secretary had not reached a deal with local authorities and had imposed a settlement. |
Ms Baillie said: "The concordat, that he signed up to, now lies in tatters." | Ms Baillie said: "The concordat, that he signed up to, now lies in tatters." |
She said that one local authority had complained that the money offered by Mr Swinney would not even cover the advertising bill for new teachers. | She said that one local authority had complained that the money offered by Mr Swinney would not even cover the advertising bill for new teachers. |
Teacher numbers | Teacher numbers |
Mr Swinney asked if Ms Baillie would encourage Labour councils to sign up to the agreement. | Mr Swinney asked if Ms Baillie would encourage Labour councils to sign up to the agreement. |
She said: "Our position is to maintain teacher numbers, the SNP promised to do just that, yet you have failed miserably. | She said: "Our position is to maintain teacher numbers, the SNP promised to do just that, yet you have failed miserably. |
"We now have almost 4,500 fewer teachers in Scotland today than when you took charge." | "We now have almost 4,500 fewer teachers in Scotland today than when you took charge." |
Tory economy spokesman Gavin Brown said: "The education of our children in Scotland is best served if all levels of government work together to achieve outcomes instead of using a budget speech as a platform for creating a turf war with Cosla." | Tory economy spokesman Gavin Brown said: "The education of our children in Scotland is best served if all levels of government work together to achieve outcomes instead of using a budget speech as a platform for creating a turf war with Cosla." |
Mr Brown said the three most significant changes from the draft budget were down to UK chancellor George Osborne. | Mr Brown said the three most significant changes from the draft budget were down to UK chancellor George Osborne. |
He said money was flowing to health through Barnett consequentials, business rates increases were being capped at 2% and changes had been made to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) due to the actions of the Tory-led coalition at Westminster. | He said money was flowing to health through Barnett consequentials, business rates increases were being capped at 2% and changes had been made to the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) due to the actions of the Tory-led coalition at Westminster. |
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie says the context of the budget was one of an economy in recovery. | Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie says the context of the budget was one of an economy in recovery. |
Employment was up, GDP was up and unemployment was down, he said. | Employment was up, GDP was up and unemployment was down, he said. |
Mr Rennie added: "That is due to a plan the SNP were against." | Mr Rennie added: "That is due to a plan the SNP were against." |
Other measures set out by Mr Swinney, which were not in the original budget included: | Other measures set out by Mr Swinney, which were not in the original budget included: |
The Scottish government had already put forward plans to spend £4.5bn on infrastructure investment in 2015-16. | The Scottish government had already put forward plans to spend £4.5bn on infrastructure investment in 2015-16. |
Investment of more than £390m should provide 6,000 new affordable homes, while more than £300m is to be spent extending free childcare to all three and four-year-olds and some vulnerable two-year-olds. | Investment of more than £390m should provide 6,000 new affordable homes, while more than £300m is to be spent extending free childcare to all three and four-year-olds and some vulnerable two-year-olds. |
In addition, the Scottish government said £81m had been set aside to "mitigate against changes to housing benefit" which have been branded the "bedroom tax". | |
Further money is being made available to allow local authorities to continue the council tax freeze. |