SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the publication of Scottish Budget for 2025-26, set out in a statement yesterday afternoon by the Finance Secretary.
The budget commits £768m to affordable housing projects next year, along with a record £21b for health and social care in 2025-26. Local government funding is also due to be increased by over £1b, while capital spend across Scotland in this budget is to total over £7b.
The budget also allocates £660m for farmers, crofters and the wider rural economy, with agriculture savings from previous budgets being returned to the sector in full via a new capital transformation scheme, and the 100% business rates relief for island hospitality businesses will continue. Gaelic language spending is increasing to £30.5m (from £25m), while renewables investment is tripling to £150m for the next financial year.
These announcements come in addition to the Scottish Government’s reintroduction of a universal winter fuel payment for pensioners across Scotland, announced last week, as well as a commitment to fully mitigate for the UK Government’s ongoing two-child benefits cap policy, which child poverty campaigners say continues to keep hundreds of thousands trapped in child poverty across the UK.
Commenting, Alasdair Allan MSP said:
“Yesterday’s budget is one of hope, one that puts in place the investment that will set our nation up for success both now and in the years to come - creating more and better jobs, putting more money into people’s pockets, as well as re-introducing a universal pension age winter heating payment where this was cut by the UK Labour Government just a few months ago.
“As we are a minority government, other parties must now work with us to get this budget passed and make these ambitions for Scotland a reality. I would urge opposition parties to avoid playing political games in the meantime.
“While the UK Autumn Budget was a step in the right direction, the additional funding received only represents, after inflation, a growth in resource spending of around 1%.
“At the same time, the national insurance employer contributions increased by the UK Government will cost the Scottish Government £600m; therefore, substantial financial pressures persist. The Scottish Government is not permitted to borrow money, and must legally balance our books every single year.
“This budget will deliver progress on the issues people in Scotland care most about – supporting and properly investing in our public services, growing our economy, tackling climate change, and eradicating child poverty. The Scottish Government has listened carefully to the needs and priorities of organisations and businesses across Scotland, and engaged seriously and constructively with other parties, and this can be clearly seen in the priorities set out in this Scottish Budget.”
