KATE Forbes will use today’s Budget to “provide certainty and stability for families” when she brings forward plans to tackle the cost of living crisis.
The Finance and Economy Secretary will deliver her draft Budget in Holyrood this afternoon – and is expected to set out measures to lift children out of poverty and make sure those impacted by the pandemic “do not bear a long term burden”.
But Labour has called for Ms Forbes to use the additional £3.9 billion it will receive from the UK Government to “deliver a real recovery for Scotland and invest in our future” while the Conservatives want councils to receive a £1.2 billion funding boost and Right to Buy scheme plans to be revived.
READ MORE: Labour calls for spending review to make sure 'every penny counts' in Kate Forbes' SNP Budget
Ms Forbes said: “While it has been a difficult 18 months for all of us, it has been particularly hard for those on the lowest incomes.
“This Budget is designed to ensure those most impacted by the pandemic do not bear a long term burden and that is why this Budget will continue our national mission to tackle child poverty.
“It will provide certainty and stability for families whilst working to reduce inequalities.
“This vitally important Budget sets us on a path to creating the country we want to be – fairer, greener, and more prosperous – and will help make Scotland a land of opportunity for everyone.”
Ms Forbes has acknowledged that the Budget process has been “challenging” due to the pandemic, and claimed “this has been confounded by the UK Government’s decision to remove necessary Covid consequential funding at a time when we undeniably need to help our public services”.
But opposition parties say that the Scottish Government is receiving an extra £3.9 billion, compared to a pre-Covid baseline, before emergency funding was handed over from Westminster during the pandemic.
The Scottish Conservatives want the record funding settlement from the UK Government to include a £631 million business support package with a full year of 75% rates relief on leisure, hospitality, retail, aviation and newspaper sectors.
The party is also calling for years of real-term cuts to councils to be reversed with an extra £1.2 billion of funding – as well as £62 million to improve policies facilities and equipment and help tackle violent crime and £55 million to reinstate the Help to Buy scheme.
READ MORE: Scottish Budget: Conservatives call for £62m of 'desperately needed' police funding
Scottish Conservative finance and economy spokesperson, Liz Smith, said: “Scotland’s economy and public services have taken a huge hit during the pandemic, so this budget has to be about recovery.
"The choice for the SNP is stark – stand up for ordinary, hard-working Scots or stand up for their extremist, anti-business Scottish Green coalition partners.
"The SNP have to make the most of the record funding settlement from the UK Chancellor – and the package we’re proposing would do just that.
“Scottish businesses have been devastated by Covid and our extensive rates relief plans would give them the essential breathing space to recover and rebuild.
"Kate Forbes also needs to invest more in Scotland’s crisis-hit NHS by passing on the £2.1billion in UK health consequentials to tackle the huge backlog of patients awaiting treatment.
“Similarly, she must pass on the proportionate share of her increased budget – £1.2 billion – to councils, which have endured years of SNP cutbacks. Local services, such as libraries, leisure centres, bin collections and street lighting, are crying out for investment.
“The SNP have the chance to make a real difference with this budget – they must not squander it.”
READ MORE: Finance Secretary Kate Forbes under growing pressure to help hospitality in budget
Labour’s finance spokesperson, Daniel Johnson, said “the SNP have a choice between politics as usual or delivering a real recovery for Scotland”.
He added: “Our recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic presents an unparalleled challenge and one that requires urgent, direct and focused action in order to address it.
“Scotland deserves a budget with bold ideas, backed up by ambition, not the all usual spin and no substance deals previously struck between the SNP and the Greens.
“This year will see the largest block grant increase in the Scottish Budget in two decades – this is massive opportunity to deliver a real recovery for Scotland and invest in our future.”
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