Budget for Scotland wins backing

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2010-02-03

The Scottish Government's budget for Scotland will include new measures to support businesses, improve home insulation and invest in a scrappage scheme for old and inefficient boilers.

The third budget from the SNP government also delivers billions of pounds of investment in key projects like the Southern General, road and rail improvements across Scotland, the Commonwealth Games, Aberdeen bypass and Borders Rail to support jobs through the recession.

Key measures in the budget include:

  • an Independent Budget Review to consider the implications of forecasts of reductions in public spending in Scotland.
  • £20 million extra to support higher education students in our colleges and universities at a time when there are more students than ever entering the system
  •  Support for 7,500 more students in further and higher education and will result in additional college places being created.
  • 34,500 new training places in 2010-11
  •  a new area-based, universal access £10 million Home Insulation Scheme to offer home insulation measures to around 90,000 homes
  • £2 million on a boiler scrappage scheme to support boiler scrappage in Scotland.

    • Setting out the investment in Scotland being made by the Government and the importance of public services and support for small business in tough times SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney said

     

    "This is a budget that prioritises the areas of expenditure that matter most, in the face of cuts this year, and prepares us for the challenges that lie ahead.

    "With additional funding for training and educational places, support for measures to tackle climate change and fuel poverty, this Government has listened to the views of Parliament. We have faced the tough decisions and have set out proposals to help Scotland through the difficult times within the fixed Budget we have.

    "This is a Budget that will support economic recovery and protect frontline services - a Budget for all of Scotland."