NICOLA Sturgeon has doubled crucial bridging payments to some the country’s poorest families – handing them a £260 boost before Christmas.

The First Minister made the pledge during her keynote speech at SNP conference in Aberdeen – where she also renewed a promise to deliver an early cancer diagnosis centre for each Scottish health board by the end of the parliamentary term.

After a conference lacking in Government policy announcements, the First Minister said expanding the Scottish child payment bridging payments to £260 a week showed “of a government with the right priorities” during the cost-of-living crisis.

At last year’s SNP conference, held virtually, Ms Sturgeon announced the payment, which started at £10 a week, was to double to £20.

In November, the payment is due to rise to £25 and be extended to eligible children up to the age of 16.

Families of around 145,000 children will benefit from the move, set to cost the Scottish Government around £18.9m.

The bridging payments were introduced last year ahead of the extension of the Scottish child payment to six to 15 year olds.

The final quarterly bridging payment, due in December means families will receive up to £650 per eligible child this year.

All children registered to receive free school meals on the basis of family low income are eligible.

The First Minister told SNP delegates that “we need to do more because we know this winter is going to be really tough”.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Rather than looking forward to Christmas, too many families will be dreading it – dreading it because they don’t know if they can afford to heat their homes or even pay for food.

“As part of our help to the poorest families over the last year, we have made quarterly ‘bridging payments’ of £130.

“These have gone to children and young people in receipt of free school meals, but who don’t qualify for the child payment.”

She added: “Today I can announce that the final instalment – ahead of the extension of the child payment and due in the next few weeks – will not be £130, we will double it to £260.

“That will help put food on the Christmas table for families of 145,000 children and young people.

“I don’t pretend it will make all of their worries go away - no government with our limited powers can ever do that.

“But I hope this investment of almost £20 million will bring a bit of Christmas cheer to those who need it most.”

Campaigners have welcomed the bridging payments being doubled.

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, said: “This is really good news for thousands of families of school aged children who are struggling to make ends meet in the face of soaring food and fuel prices.

“An extra £130 makes a real difference when cupboards are bare, debts are mounting and children’s wellbeing is suffering. More support will inevitably be needed in the coming months from every level of government, but the First Minister has heard the calls, listened to the evidence and acted in the face of extraordinary cost of living pressures.

“On top of her confirmation of the roll out of the Scottish child payment to all under 16s next month, and increase in its value to £25, this all provides at least some comfort to hard up families across Scotland.”

The First Minister also confirmed that the next two rapid cancer diagnostic services will be established in Lanarkshire and the Borders next year.

The services will be backed by more than £600,000 and will help speed up cancer diagnoses through a new fast-track system.

Patients with non-specific symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue and nausea will be screened to investigate the possibility of cancer and receive an outcome within 21 days from referral.

Three diagnostic centres are already open in Ayrshire and Arran, Fife and Dumfries and Galloway.

Early data shows that around 16 per cent of referrals have gone on to be diagnosed with cancer, with around 20% receiving a non-cancer diagnosis and many others being discharged or referred onto primary care for non-cancer related treatment.

The First Minister said the existing diagnostic centres “have already supported hundreds of patients”.

She added: “I’m delighted to confirm today that two more services will open next year - one in the Borders and one in Lanarkshire.

“By the end of this Parliament there will be a rapid cancer diagnostic service in every heath board in Scotland.”

The First Minister told delegates that projects across the North East and Moray will receive a share of more than £50 million to accelerate the energy transition and secure future jobs in the region.

The funding will come from the Scottish Government's existing £500m just transition fund.

She told SNP activists that "Aberdeen is the oil and gas capital of Europe", insisting that the city should be "the net zero capital of the world".

Ms Sturgeon said: “Today I can announce the first 22 projects have just been awarded funding of more than £50 million.

"These projects will support the production of green hydrogen, the development of wave and tidal technology, and even pioneer the use of waste from whisky to recycle EV batteries. And, they will focus on the skills our existing workforce need to take advantage of the renewables revolution.

“Incredible Scottish ingenuity here in the North-East, supported by the Scottish Government, developing technologies to tackle the global climate emergency. It is exciting, inspiring stuff."