The Scottish Government’s finance secretary Derek Mackay has revealed his draft Budget for 2018-19.
Here are the key announcements:
1) Changes to income tax including a new starter rate
Income tax changes announced by @DerekMackaySNP including new starter rate #ScotBudget pic.twitter.com/xqbTXvvVhh
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) 14 December 2017
2) More than £20 million of additional investment in the police service, with £5.5 million to go on the “continued transformation” of the fire service.
3) The introduction of a new £50 million fund to tackle child poverty
Watch an animation setting out Scotland’s Draft Budget for 2018-19 https://t.co/SfCuEtiE6N #ScotBudget pic.twitter.com/kakXtyZBf6
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) 14 December 2017
4) Investment of more than £100 million to mitigate UK welfare reform including so-called bedroom tax reversal and the Scottish Welfare Fund.
5) Extra funding will be made available to support the “landmark step” of increasing Carer’s Allowance, which will be delivered by summer 2018 and backdated to April.
6) £110 million will be invested in the reform of primary care and cash for mental health will be boosted by £17 million.
7) The Budget plans to invest more than £550 million to support the integration of health and social care.
8) Health spending to be increased by more than £400million
9) The local government resource budget to be protected in cash terms with the capital budget increased in real terms “resulting in a total increase in local authority core funding of £94 million”.
10)£60 million low carbon innovation fund
11) Lifting 1% pay cap for public sector workers
12) Making £600million available over four years for 100% broadband coverage
13) £4billion of funding for infrastructure
