Deputy First Minister laid out “a different, more
progressive path for Scotland” as he presented the Scottish
Budget 2023-24.
He promised to strengthen the social contract with the people of
Scotland and pledged to do everything possible to shield families
from the welfare cuts and austerity policies of the UK Government
Supporting sustainable public services through the cost of living
crisis is a priority – including more than £13.7 billion for NHS
boards and £2 billion to establish and improve primary healthcare
services in communities, as well as £1.7 billion for social care
and integration, paving the way for the National Care Service.
This record investment goes well beyond any previous commitment
to pass on all consequentials to health and social care, and
delivers a £1 billion uplift to the health budget.
Having already increased the unique Scottish Child Payment to £25
per week as part of a drive to eradicate child poverty, the
Budget invests £428 million to uprate all other devolved benefits
in April 2023 by September’s Consumer Price Index inflation level
of 10.1%. It commits £20 million to extend the Fuel Insecurity
Fund to provide a lifeline for households, including the most
vulnerable, against rising energy prices.
Scotland’s transition to net zero is boosted with increased
investment to over £366 million in delivering the Heat in
Buildings Strategy in 2023-24. This will help tackle fuel poverty
as part of a £1.8 billion commitment over this Parliament to
improve energy efficiency and decarbonise more than a million
Scottish homes by 2030.
The Budget commits £50 million to the Just Transition Fund for
the North East and Moray - more than double the 2022-23
allocation - to diversify the regional economy away from
carbon-intensive industries and capitalise on the opportunities
presented by new, green industries.
Strengthened by the agreement between the Scottish Government and
the Scottish Green Party, the 2023-24 Scottish Budget also
includes:
- around £1 billion investment in high quality early learning
and childcare provision, with a further £22 million invested in
holiday food provision and expanding support for school-age
childcare
- £50 million for the Whole Family Wellbeing programme for
preventative co-ordinated family support and a further £30
million to keep The Promise to care experienced children and
young people
- £80 million capital funding to support the expansion of free
school meals
- going beyond existing commitments with more than £550 million
additional funding to Local Government
- £165 million additional funding for frontline justice
services and to continue with transformational reforms
- a £46 million increase in resource funding to universities
and colleges to ensure a highly qualified and highly skilled
workforce for Scotland
Mr Swinney said:
“The Scottish Government, like governments all over the world, is
faced with a difficult set of choices. Through this Budget we are
facing up to our responsibilities while being honest with the
people of Scotland about the challenges which lie ahead.
“To govern is to choose and the Scottish Government has made its
choice.
“Within the powers available to us, we will choose a different
path. A path which sees the Scottish Government commit
substantial resources to protect the most vulnerable people of
Scotland from the impact of decisions and policies made by the UK
Government. We choose to stand firmly behind the Scottish people,
investing in our public services and doing everything possible to
ensure that no one is left behind.
“This Budget strengthens the social contract between the Scottish
Government and every citizen of Scotland for the wider benefit of
society. This social contract means that people in Scotland
continue to enjoy many benefits not available throughout the UK –
including free prescriptions, free access to higher education and
the Scottish Child Payment.
“Because we know this progressive model works, we choose the path
where people are asked to pay their fair share, in the knowledge
that in so doing they help to create the fairer society in which
we all want to live.”
Background
Read the 2023-2024 Scottish Budget
here.
Read the Deputy First Minister’s
Parliamentary Statement on the 2023-2024 Scottish Budget.
