SNP to prioritise the NHS in the Scottish budget, says John Swinney

Finance Secretary Shona Robison will unveil her budget for 2025/26 on Wednesday, in which she is expected to plough more cash into Scotland’s health service.

It is also widely expected that the council tax freeze introduced by Humza Yousaf’s government last year will be abolished, with some local authorities poised to hike the tax by as much as 17 per cent.

Mr Swinney said Scots can expect to see investment in increasing hospital capacity and moves to make it easier to see a GP.

He said: “Under this government, Scotland has had the best-performing core accident and emergency units in the UK for nine years, we have more GPs per head than anywhere else in the UK, and we have prevented the disruption of strike action by settling fair pay deals for frontline NHS workers.

“But we know that health services everywhere face huge pressure in light of the Covid-19 pandemic - and ours is no exception.”

When Mr Swinney became First Minister earlier this year, he said improving public services would be one of his top priorities, and insists his government has “thrown its weight” behind tackling this.

He added: “Our budget this week will be a budget which has improving the NHS at its heart.

“We have listened carefully to suggestions from patients and staff - as well as engaging constructively with organisations and political parties across the parliament.”

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The Scottish Trades Union Congress said investing in the NHS is key to achieving economic growth.

Speaking on the BBC’s The Sunday Show, the STUC’s Dave Moxham said: “We’re asking for investment in public services and public service workers in this budget.

“We are on the cusp of a health crisis and without a healthy workforce we won’t get growth.”

As the SNP is now a minority government in Holyrood, it will need to rely on other political parties to get its budget passed, with support widely expected to come from either the Lib Dems or the Greens.

However with only two days to go until budget day, the First Minister said opposition parties should back the SNP’s budget if they want to see investment in the NHS.

He said: “I want to make progress on improving our NHS, but to do that, parliament must approve our budget bill in order to unlock investment which will drive the long-term and lasting improvements - and the healthier population - that we all want to see.”

The council tax freeze is also expected to be removed, as Cosla, the umbrella body which represents Scotland’s 32 local authorities, has demanded ministers overturn the freeze.

Council chiefs criticised the former first minister’s decision to announce a council tax freeze last year, which they say was done without any consultation.

Many councils are expected to introduce council tax increases if the freeze is lifted, with Aberdeenshire Council looking to hike the tax by up to 17 per cent.

Over the weekend Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville refused to comment on the speculation about council tax.

She told the BBC: “The council tax freeze was an important part of last year’s budget, but it is important we take action to deal with those in poverty.

“I will not comment on the speculation.”

There are other competing demands on the Scottish budget, including from the SNP’s own backbenches, that the finance secretary will need to grapple with.

Jackie Dunbar MSP, deputy convener of Holyrood’s education, children and young people committee, said she wants to see measures in the budget to maintain teacher numbers.

She told The Scotsman: “The Scottish Government has taken significant action to make funding available to councils to protect teacher numbers and I hope that we will see continued action to invest in the workforce in the budget this week.

“I am hopeful that the budget will deliver funding which can ensure councils maintain teacher numbers, meaning that we can continue to drive improvements in Scotland’s schools, close the attainment gap, and ensure all of our children meet their full potential.”

The Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems group has also demanded ministers restore the budget for alcohol support.

Funding for alcohol support has been cut by eight per cent in two years, and the group says the budget for this should be restored to the levels set in 2014/15.

Dr Peter Rice, chairman of the organisation, said: “It is essential that the Scottish Government’s upcoming budget reflects the fact that during the pandemic harm from alcohol increased in Scotland and funding should be restored to 2014/15 levels and alcohol funding ringfenced as a first step towards rebuilding quality alcohol services.”

He added: “There is a considerable unmet need for structured alcohol service and funds are limited.

“This budget is an opportunity for the Scottish Government to introduce a social responsibility levy on alcohol retailers, many of whom are likely to have accrued additional profits from minimum unit pricing.

“This would raise much-needed funds for alcohol services.”

The Scottish Conservatives say they will be pushing the SNP government for better support for businesses in this week’s budget.

Russell Findlay MSP will be visiting businesses in Renfrewshire today, where he is expected to call for the 40 per cent business rates relief in England and Wales to be replicated here in Scotland.

He is also expected to call for 100 per cent rates relief for pubs and restaurants, income tax cuts for 85 per cent of Scottish taxpayers, and reductions in land and building transaction taxes for those buying a house.

He said: “Scotland’s retail businesses are struggling and are crying out for support from the SNP in their budget this week.

“Many of them are on their knees and are bearing the brunt of punishing tax rises from both the SNP and the UK Labour governments.

“The SNP must pass on the 40 per cent rates relief offered south of the border to retail firms.

“That is just one of our common sense tax proposals that we’ve relayed to the SNP ahead of the budget.

“Our proposals would start to undo the damage of years of SNP tax rises and put more money in the pockets of workers, businesses and would-be homeowners.”

He added it would be “unforgivable” for the SNP to not introduce a 40 per cent business rates relief, and said his party “knows things can be done differently”.

This plea was echoed over the weekend by the Scottish Tourism Alliance, who said many tourism businesses are at risk of “dipping into the red” without more government support.

Rebecca Brooks from the STA said: “This is being offered south of the border and we believe a minimum of 40 per cent rates relief is needed because it is putting pressure on businesses.

“We are asking for business rates relief for tourism businesses specifically - we are not asking for handouts, we are asking for warmer economic conditions and better funding for our national industry.”

Finance Secretary Shona Robison will set out her government’s budget for 2025/26 in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday afternoon.