The Scottish Budget, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament at Stage 1 last week, focuses on the people of Scotland’s priorities – driving further improvements in the NHS and expanding the best cost-of-living support in the UK, regardless of where in Scotland you live.
Some of the key actions the budget supports will be free breakfast clubs in every primary school, funding for more GPs, and £40 Scottish Child Payment for babies under the age of 1.
The SNP is bringing down NHS waiting lists, supporting families reducing child poverty and growing the economy.
Such measures stand in stark contrast to those of the Labour government at Westminster, which hold Scotland back.
At a time when Labour’s choices continue to squeeze living standards of Scottish households, this SNP budget shows that different choices are possible.
The SNP government continues to offer the best cost-of-living package anywhere in the UK. New measures to support families across Scotland include delivery of a universal breakfast club offer for primary school aged children, additional funding to extend wraparound activity clubs in the afternoon and early evening, and free children’s sporting activities, including swimming lessons for every primary school bairn in the country.
And we can’t forget, while welcoming these new measures, that choices made by the SNP allow investment in continuing cost-of-living measures such as free prescriptions, free eye tests, removal of peak rails fares on Scotrail. Of course, Orkney folk will be as likely to benefit from the scrapping of peak ferry fares on NorthLink services as an equivalent closer to home.
Also continuing will be free tuition fees for young Scots, and free school meals for thousands of bairns, including all pupils in primary 1 to 5. Alongside this, the 1400 hours of free, high-quality early learning and childcare is worth around £6000 per child.
There is also free bus travel for over 2.4 million folk, and for islanders the equivalent free internal ferry journeys for folk 22 and under.
Along with these measures – many unique to Scotland – even more Scots are paying less income tax because they live here, with 55% of folk in the country expected to pay less than if they lived elsewhere in the UK.
Almost £22.5 billion is being allocated to health and social care to support a more sustainable and resilient NHS with a continued focus on reducing long waits.
I’m particularly pleased to see the opening of the first walk-in GP clinics. We know that in rural areas, getting an appointment can feel like an uphill battle. I’m already working to ensure the Highlands aren’t left behind in this rollout, and I know local candidates like Robert Leslie are making that same case for Orkney.
I’m delighted to see the Budget pass Stage 1, and work will continue to seek cross-party agreement to ensure it passes.
Opposition politicians ignore the reality that folk in Scotland are protected by a safety net that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the UK. From scrapping peak ferry fares to maintaining free tuition and free prescriptions, these are choices the SNP makes to keep money in your pocket.
This is a regular column by SNP MSP Emma Roddick. All Highlands and Islands MSPs have been offered the same space in The Orkney News to share their personal views.