Scottish ministers ditch universal free school meal pledge

2 weeks ago 7

Eradicating kid poorness is the Scottish government's "first and foremost priority", First Minister John Swinney has said arsenic helium announced his spending plans for the adjacent year.

His inaugural programme for authorities came aft his concern caput announced £500m of cuts.

Although Mr Swinney said his medication was facing "incredibly challenging" fiscal conditions, helium vowed to put £1bn successful childcare, trim NHS backlogs and present nationalist work reform.

The SNP person u-turned connected a chopped to arts funding, pledged caller rent controls to protects tenants and vowed to fortify the ministerial code.

Mr Swinney - announcing his archetypal programme for authorities since becoming archetypal curate successful May - reiterated kid poorness was the government’s apical priority.

He besides said his medication would purpose to physique prosperity, amended nationalist services and support the planet.

He said the proposals would beryllium "affordable, impactful and deliverable”.

The SNP person told MSPs: “Together, they bespeak my optimism, that adjacent though we look an incredibly challenging acceptable of circumstances astatine this moment, the inherent strengths of Scotland, our radical and our communities, tin make large possibilities for our country.”

The authorities announced it would present 14 caller bills – including projected authorities connected clime change, gathering safety, misogyny, the earthy situation and acquisition reform.

Mr Swinney said “difficult decisions” had to beryllium made owed to UK authorities austerity and “sky-high” inflation.

The archetypal curate announced plans to amended whole-family enactment by ensuring guarantee determination was much section flexibility for those successful need.

Other plans see 210,000 much outpatient appointments and 20,000 much orthopaedic, ophthalmology and country appointments wrong the NHS.

Mr Swinney besides promised faster readying decisions for renewable vigor projects.

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