First Minister Alex Salmond today sets out the 15 Holyrood bills he wants to introduce over the new parliamentary session, among them expected measures on climate change and criminal justice.

First Minister Alex Salmond today sets out the 15 Holyrood bills he wants to introduce over the new parliamentary session, among them expected measures on climate change and criminal justice.

But the speech will be watched most closely for the SNP's intentions on introducing the local income tax, when it is doubtful it can secure enough votes to push it through Holyrood.

Finance Secretary John Swinney is to follow up with the latest stage of his plans for the Scottish Futures Trust, a replacement for the past methods of financing public capital projects which has faced a barrage of criticism.

Mr Salmond's Scottish Government programme will also include non-legislative measures he intends to pursue during his second full session as First Minister, which may have more significance for an adminstration that is unable to pass all the laws it wants.

One option for the Environment Bill was set out in a consultation published yesterday, on how to push offices, shops and factories into reducing the emissions harm they do, and proposing to go beyond the requirements of European Union directives.

Ministers set out plans that could see each non-domestic building require a certificate of its energy efficiency, as well as a system for policing the use of equipment inside it, such as printers and photocopiers.

The Confederation of British Industry, the employers' body, called for the programme to avoid red tape which could stifle economic growth.

It also said there should be faster progress on tackling Scotland's transport blockages, including the entire M8 motorway being upgraded to three lanes.

Opposition politicians yesterday offered the First Minister advice.

Cathy Jamieson, the acting Labour leader at Holyrood, said the SNP's programme for government should increase its health spending to keep up with the rest of Britain, while setting out measures to build new schools and secure jobs for newly-trained teachers.

Tories set out the SNP's local income tax plan as the focus of their attack over the coming year.