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| Scots budget faces crucial test | Scots budget faces crucial test |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The Scottish government's £30bn budget plan will face its most crucial test to date when MSPs are asked to vote on whether to back it in principle. | |
| Ministers said they were confident Holyrood would endorse the spending package, which will fund key services and deliver a council tax freeze. | Ministers said they were confident Holyrood would endorse the spending package, which will fund key services and deliver a council tax freeze. |
| However, opposition parties remain to be convinced on the plans. | However, opposition parties remain to be convinced on the plans. |
| Labour and the Liberal Democrats said the spending plans fell well short of Scotland's needs. | Labour and the Liberal Democrats said the spending plans fell well short of Scotland's needs. |
| The Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee, which is scrutinising the budget, has urged ministers to amend the plans, to recruit more police officers and speed up business rate cuts. | The Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee, which is scrutinising the budget, has urged ministers to amend the plans, to recruit more police officers and speed up business rate cuts. |
| The suggestions, put forward by the Tories, could pave the way for a deal to endorse the minority government's proposals. | The suggestions, put forward by the Tories, could pave the way for a deal to endorse the minority government's proposals. |
| Even if MSPs back the plans later, the budget still faces a further two stages of parliamentary scrutiny before the final vote. | Even if MSPs back the plans later, the budget still faces a further two stages of parliamentary scrutiny before the final vote. |
| The Conservatives said they may back the budget at the first hurdle - but stressed that did not mean they were yet signed up for the final package. | The Conservatives said they may back the budget at the first hurdle - but stressed that did not mean they were yet signed up for the final package. |