MCALPINE WELCOMES BUDGET FOR A FAIRER SCOTLAND
“While the Tory government at Westminster last week set out plans to continue their attack on the poor with a benefit freeze that will hit 600,000 working families in Scotland, the Scottish Government is doing the best it can with the powers we currently have to protect family budgets. Families across the country are benefiting from the freeze in council tax, while a further 537,730 people in low income households are being protected from Westminster’s wrongheaded decision to scrap Council Tax Benefit.
“With further powers to create jobs and tackle inequality, we could do even more – and that is why these powers must be delivered to Scotland.”
• Secure £4.5 billion of infrastructure investment in 2015-16
• Support £330 million of further capital investment in our Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme through NPD funding
• Provide £140 million to deliver 2 new college campuses through the NPD pipeline
• Continue to deliver the most competitive business tax environment in the UK
• Invest £16.6 million in 2015-16 to further take forward recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce
• Drive investment in affordable housing of over £390 million to deliver 6000 affordable homes and £125 million of additional financial support for the housing sector.
• Invest over £300 million over two years in extending child care to 600 hours for all 3 and 4 year olds and vulnerable 2 year olds.
• Provide additional support for looked after children
• Provide £81 million to mitigate against Wesminster’s welfare reform including the ‘Bedroom Tax’
• Maintain a council tax freeze across Scotland
• Continue the Scottish Government’s social wage commitments including free prescriptions, concessionary travel and free personal care
• Increase the health budget to over £12 billion with a funding increase of £288 million
• Invest over £170 million in 2015-16 to help drive integration of adult health and social care
• Support 1000 additional police officers
• Protect the Local Government budget
• Maintain a Scottish living wage for public sector workers covered by public sector pay policy
• Continue the commitment to no compulsory redundancies.