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Spending plans published
16/09/2008
The Scottish Government today published its draft budget for 2009-10.
While the content largely reflects the decisions taken in last year's spending review, there are adjustments that take into account decisions made in the last twelve months.
These include:
- The £40 million expansion of free personal care in line with the Sutherland recommendations for next year
- The decision to bring forward up to £100 million of spending through the Affordable Housing Investment Programme, as announced by the First Minister last month
- Extra money for the Climate Challenge Fund (£4.3m) and £13 million in 2009-10 for additional police officers, as part of the Government's commitment to deliver an additional 1,000 police officers by the end of this Parliament - announced at the time of amendments to last year's budget bill
John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said:
"Today marks the beginning of the process to deliver a budget for 09-10 that builds on our commitment to increase sustainable economic growth.
"We have updated the budget to reflect key decisions made by this Government since the spending review.
"That includes our decision to expand the funding of free personal care and accelerate our spending on affordable housing. Decisions that reflect this government's desire to react to the current global economic climate and our determination that Scotland's economy should emerge stronger from the current international downturn.
"We look forward to engaging with the Scottish Parliament and wider Scottish society as the draft budget moves forward."
The draft budget will now be consulted on and begin the process of parliamentary scrutiny with a Stage 3 debate expected in February next year.