Programme for Government – The NEN

Programme for Government: ‘Building the best future for Scotland’

Poverty Alliance: ‘People in Scotland are demanding better’

The NHS will deliver 100,000 additional GP appointments and Scotland will have a ‘best in UK’ cost-of-living guarantee, including the permanent abolition of peak rail fares, First Minister John Swinney announced as he set out a Programme for Government against a backdrop of global economic challenges.

Speaking one year since he was elected First Minister and one year before the end of this Parliament, Mr Swinney committed to a package of cost-of-living initiatives for households and businesses and a new Six Point Export Plan to unlock target markets.

He set out plans to strengthen the NHS with the delivery of extra GP appointments for key health risks such as high blood pressure, and 150,000 more NHS appointments and procedures, including a 50% increase in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacements.

Key announcements include:

100,000 enhanced service GP appointments by March 2026 for key risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity and smoking as well as more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests, and target cancer pathways to tackle backlogs against the 62-day referral to treatment standard
The cost-of-living guarantee which includes ongoing free prescriptions, eye exams, bus travel for 2.3 million people, free tuition for students and more than £6,000 in early learning and childcare support for each eligible child
ScotRail peak rail fares abolished and the general alcohol ban on ScotRail trains removed and replaced with time and location restrictions
Winter fuel payments for pensioners restored
A new Six Point Export Plan, with a focus on actions to unlock target markets, and showcase Scotland to global buyers
A national regeneration fund that will support at least 26 projects to renew and restore communities, with a focus on delivering more local jobs
More rights and stronger protections for tenants, helping deliver more than 8,000 affordable homes, including for social and mid-market rent, and removing barriers on stalled building sites with the potential to deliver up to 20,000 new homes

The First Minister said: “This Programme for Government is focused on providing the best cost-of-living support across the UK, as well as delivering a renewed and stronger NHS.

“When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the NHS which is why I am taking serious action to ensure the NHS meets the needs of the public.

“This PfG also shows decisive action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges.

“It is being published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, but also due to the scale of the looming economic challenge.

“It is a programme for a better Scotland, for a stronger NHS and a more resilient and wealthier Scotland. It is a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success.”

POVERTY ALLIANCE: Government programme misses need for fundamental change

Commenting on the Programme for Government, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “Many of today’s announcements are welcome, but the package doesn’t go far enough towards creating a just and compassionate Scotland where people have what they need to build a life beyond poverty.

“More and more people in Scotland believe the system is rigged against them and their families. And they’re right.

“Scrapping peak rail fares for good will help many people on low incomes, but many, many more are still being left with unaffordable buses that don’t meet their needs.

“It’s welcome that this programme turns its back on previous cuts to affordable homes, but we urgently need more investment to create a social housing programme that will bring the scandal of child homelessness to an end.

“Reversing the effect of the unjust two-child limit for households in Scotland is the right thing to do, but there was no sign of a pledge to raise the Scottish Child Payment – never mind raising it to the £40 a week that we know is needed to meet our legal child poverty targets.

“And it was good to hear the First Minister talking about sharing Scotland’s growing wealth more fairly, but the Government simply can’t do that without using its powers over investment and taxation.

“People in Scotland are demanding better, and they want a Scottish Govt that will make the big, fundamental changes that will empower households to build a better life for themselves and a better future for all of us.”

STUC: Scrapping peak fares is a victory for workers in Scotland

Commenting on the scrapping of peak rail fares within the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham said: “This is deeply welcome news that, whilst long overdue, shows the strength of campaigners and rail unions in demanding an affordable and accessible rail network that is fit for the future.

“This is a clear victory for workers in Scotland and it’s commendable the Scottish Government has listened to the voices of our movement – and listened to their own evidence – which showed the positive impact of scrapping peak fares.

“Peak fares were, simply put, a tax on workers that hit commuters directly in the pocket. We can now ensure we build an interconnected, cheaper and greener rail networks that puts people before profit and puts peak fares out of commission for good.”

Children First: First Minister missed another chance by not increasing Scottish child payment

Children First statement on Scottish Government Programme for Government

Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children first, said: “We hoped the First Minister would bring bold, ambitious plans to tackle the crippling levels of child poverty in Scotland. Instead, the Programme for Government, while well-intentioned, lacked real action. The First Minister missed another chance to help families by not increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40.

“While we recognise the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicating child poverty, supporting whole families and improving mental health support for young people, we are deeply concerned that it lacks urgency and the necessary financial resources and policy ambition.

“Scotland is facing a childhood emergency. The children and families we support cannot wait another 12 months for yet another fresh approach.

“They need action now.”

ALBA Party: Scotland “won’t accept” the Scottish Government’s decision to omit independence from its Programme for Government, says Ash Regan

For the second year in a row First Minister John Swinney has failed to mention independence in his Programme for Government with the document not setting out any plans to give Scots a choice on their future in the remainder of the current Parliament.

The SNP were re-elected in 2021 promising a referendum would be held during the life of the current Parliament but after the Supreme Court ruled against the Scottish Parliament’s ability to do so the Scottish Government have taken no action to find a path to giving the people of Scotland a choice on their future.

Alba’s Ash Regan wanted to see First Minister John Swinney set out the actions his Government will take to advance the case for Scottish independence in the run up to next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. But she has hit out as the Government has confirmed today that the only action it will take in the next year will be the publication of another independence paper.

The Alba MSP says that the Scottish Government’s plan for how it intends to progress the case for Scottish independence should have featured “front and centre” of John Swinney’s plans and the failure to do so is a “missed opportunity.”

Last year, in his first ever PfG as First Minister, John Swinney did not make reference to independence when he addressed parliament and in his speech today he again failed to reference any actions his Government would take to help deliver independence.

Commenting Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said: “Last year the word ‘independence’ was not mentioned once in the Programme for Government statement to Parliament. Since then we have witnessed consistent polling showing that at least half the country favour independence.

“The failure to put independence front and centre of today’s Programme for Government is a wasted opportunity. The people of Scotland are now ahead of the SNP when it’s comes to independence and that is why we have seen a separation of support for independence and support for the SNP.

“Scots want to see a drive towards governing competently again and focus to be put back onto the people’s agenda of health, the economy, jobs and the protection of women and children.

“The case for independence has never been stronger, it is now vital we see support for Alba Party on the list to ensure the SNP don’t see out another term of Parliament without taking action on independence.”

RCEM: Scotland’s Programme for Government a ‘missed opportunity’ to tackle UEC crisis

After enduring another challenging winter, Scotland’s Programme for Government has failed to deliver a tangible plan to address the emergency care crisis. That’s the response from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine after the First Minister, John Swinney, delivered a speech today (6 May 2025) which laid out his government’s key pledges for the final year of the Scottish Parliament’s current term.

Relating to the NHS, the First Minister’s key pledges were:

Reducing time patients wait for treatment by delivering more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests.
Ensuring more people can see their GP and get cared for in the community – reducing pressures in hospitals
Ensuring more people can be cared for at home, reducing pressures in hospitals by expanding the number of Hospital at Home beds to at least 2,000 by December 2026.

Mr Swinney’s speech coincided with the release of new data by Public Health Scotland which revealed in March, there was an average of 1,925 people waiting to be discharged from hospital, despite being deemed medically well enough to go home.

That’s the highest number of so called ‘delayed discharges’ for the month of March since guidelines changed in 2016.

This is often caused due to a lack of social care support. Therefore, the system grinds to a halt, with patients stuck in Emergency Departments, often on trolleys in corridors, facing extreme waits because there’s no in-patient beds available.

Today’s figures, which cover March 2025, also show:

120,143 people attended a major Emergency Department in Scotland – a 17.7% increase when compared to February.

One in three patients waited four hours or more in Emergency Departments, one in 9 waited eight hours or more, and one in 23 waited 12 hours or more.

While waits have slightly improved across the board when compared to February, they are significantly higher when compared to March 2018. The numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by 158%, the numbers waiting more than eight hours by 490%, and the numbers waiting more than 12 hours by 803%.

There was a total of 60,129 days spent in hospital by people whose discharge was delayed – a 2.5% increase compared to March 2024 (58,646).

The data comes after Scotland’s Emergency Departments also experienced the worst February on record for performance.

Dr Fiona Hunter, Vice President of RCEM Scotland said, “Today’s Programme for Government is a missed opportunity. It was a moment to resuscitate emergency care but instead, we have been left without a tangible plan.

“You just have to simply look at today’s figures from Public Health Scotland to see the level of pressure our Emergency Departments our under – thousands of people waiting extreme and dangerous long stays, often on trolleys, in corridors, because there are no available beds on wards for them to move to.

“And let’s be clear – these aren’t just numbers, data, statistics. Each is a loved family member – mums, dads, grandparents, sons, daughters.

“While we welcome the government’s commitment to improving access to GPs, this can’t be done in isolation. Equal attention is needed at the ‘back door’ of hospitals – ensuring patients who are well enough to be discharged, can be, with the appropriate social care in place.

“Only then will our patients be able to move as they should throughout the hospital system, rather than experiencing significant delays.

“Our members and their colleagues will be deeply disappointed after enduring another challenging winter. It’s left us asking, when will Emergency Care become a political priority?”

Greens hail peak rail fares U-turn and call for cheaper buses

The Scottish Greens have welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to finally take forward the Green policy of scrapping peak rail fares for good, and have called for action to make public transport cheaper across the board.

The policy was initially secured by the Scottish Greens through budget negotiations in 2023 before being dropped by the SNP in 2024.

In the 2025 budget the Greens secured a £2 bus fare cap that the Government has committed to rolling out as a regional pilot project by January 2026.

Speaking in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2025-26 debate today at Holyrood, the party’s co-leader, Lorna Slater, said: “I am delighted that the Government has finally committed to the Scottish Green policy of ending peak rail fares for good.

“Earlier this year, they said they wouldn’t do it. They even voted against Green calls to do it. We’ve finally got there.

“More brave decisions are needed to make all public transport cheaper.

“The Scottish Government agreed to Green proposals for a £2 bus cap, only as a local pilot from January 2026, but people all across Scotland need cheaper buses now.

“Will the First Minister avoid the hesitation he showed over peak rail fares, get on with delivering another great Green idea: capping the price of bus fares in Scotland for good?”

Independent Age: No New Support for Older People in Poverty

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “Today’s Programme for Government announced no new support for older people in poverty.

“Making sure every pensioner in Scotland receives some winter heating support is very welcome, particularly for older people on lower incomes. However, there is more the Scottish Government should do to reduce the growing number of pensioners in poverty.

“With 156,000 older people across Scotland currently living in poverty – an increase of 30% the last decade – the need for a clear strategy to address this is more urgent that ever. Our polling shows that people of all ages in Scotland agree that a strategy to reduce pensioner poverty should be created – with 9 in 10 supporting the idea. Without one, people facing financial hardship in later life will continue to struggle to maintain even the most basic quality of life.

“Poverty at any age is extremely damaging to both mental and physical wellbeing. Our 2025 Index showed that nearly one in five (19%) older people in Scotland have a household income of under £15,000 a year and almost one in three (29%) older people in Scotland have skipped meals in the last 12 months.

“In a compassionate and wealthy society, this shouldn’t be the case. Both the UK and Scottish Governments need to take action. If the Scottish Government wants to make Scotland the best place to grow old and tackle the injustice of pensioner poverty it is essential they have a plan for doing so.”

Delivering for Scotland?

First Minister to publish Programme for Government on Tuesday

New measures to strengthen Scotland’s public services and ensure people are supported during the cost-of-living crisis will be set out by the First Minister this week.

First Minister John Swinney will deliver his Programme for Government on Tuesday 6 May, focused on his four key priorities – eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and tackling the climate emergency.

The First Minister announced last month that he would bring forward the Programme for Government from its expected publication date post-summer to enable a full year of delivery before the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

The First Minister said: “Times are tough for households and businesses across Scotland, and the world around us is changing in ways that are difficult to predict.

“But my promise to the people of Scotland is that amidst the uncertainty there is one thing they can be sure of: the government I lead will always seek to do what is best for Scotland.

“As First Minister, I will always put the needs and interests of the people of Scotland first.

“I made the decision to bring my Programme for Government forward to ensure people know that the government I lead is entirely focused on improving their lives.

“On Tuesday, I will bring my plan to Parliament that will strengthen our health service and ensure more money stays in people’s pockets during this cost of living crisis.

“The 2025-26 Programme for Government will make Scotland healthier and wealthier.”

Fraser of Allander: A look ahead to the Programme for Government

Recently, John Swinney announced that he would bring the 2025-26 Programme for Government to 6^th May, which will situate the PfG exactly one year before the Holyrood election in May 2026 ((writes Fraser of Allander Institute’s MAIRI SPOWAGE)..

Normally, the Programme for Government is the annual opportunity for the Scottish Government to set out its policy priorities and the legislation it plans to pass in the coming year. This is usually published just after the return from the Summer recess, setting out both political statements and policy priorities but also (importantly) the legislation that the Government wishes to progress during the parliamentary year.

The First Minister has said he is bringing the statement forward to “enable a full year of delivery” before the Holyrood election.

The PfG that was set out in September was the first opportunity for John Swinney and Kate Forbes to set out their agenda since taking the leadership in Spring 2024. Our thoughts at the time are here – but broadly we welcomed the clear statement of the government’s prioritisation and what they would put first (tackling child poverty) above all else. Whether the government’s spending and policy decisions have actually been consistent with that may be a matter for debate.

Given the relatively short time that have elapsed since John Swinney’s first PfG as FM, there will be significant scrutiny of the document published on the 6^th May – how have the policy priorities changed? What was promised in September which has now been sidelined in the run up to the election? And, given the limited legislative time left between now and March, what legislation has a realistic chance of making it through before the parliamentary session comes to an end.

Look out for our analysis on 6^th May on the PfG!

Further fiscal fun in May

The PfG won’t be the last opportunity fo the Scottish Government to set out policy priorities.

On the fiscal side, the SG will publish the Medium-Term financial Strategy (MTFS) on 29^th May. This will be accompanied by new forecasts from the Scottish Fiscal Commission, and is the SFC’s opportunity to produce forecasts that are consistent with the OBR forecasts that were produced alongside the Spring Statement in March.

In terms of the forecasts, we can expect (probably) that the view of the SFC on growth prospects for this year are likely to have worsened. The OBR in their forecasts in March cut growth for 2025 from 2% to 1%, and a number of independent forecasters have cut the forecast for the UK significantly. This is because of the impact of global uncertainty and turmoil, but also due to policy decisions by the UK Government such as the employer national Insurance increase.

The MTFS itself aims to focus on the longer-term sustainability of Scotland’s public finances and support a strategic approach to financial planning. The publication of this document alongside the Spring forecast is supposed to support the year round budgeting process in Holyrood, allowing the pre-budget scrutiny of committees in the Summer and Autumn to be based on up to date and meaningful information.

However, the MTFS to date has not really been successful in achieving these aims. It appears to be a strategic document, but has more often than not felt like a political statement, more aimed at managing expectations of what might be funded than in setting out a credible central scenario.

One of the issues with the MTFS is that there is no detail on how the spending projections contained within it are arrived at, and therefore it is impossible to scrutinise the priority of each and how realistic they are. When we come to try and understand the net fiscal position, we are often unable to reconcile the MTFS with any in-year spending changes. This throws into question its usefulness as a document. It is also why it has largely been abandoned by those scrutinising the Scottish Government – especially when it has not always been published when it was due.

See our commentary on the last version of this published in May 2023.

In addition to the MTFS, The Scottish Government said it will publish a Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan alongside the MTFS 2025 for the first time. The Government say this will support fiscal transparency and a foundation for longer-term financial planning, and announced this in the Autumn in the run up to a debate about fiscal sustainability in the Scottish Parliament.

We can all be cynical about additional plans and strategies being produced by the government (especially given what John Swinney said in May 2024 after taking power about taking action rather than writing more strategy documents). Particularly in this case though it’s unclear why a different document is needed.

The MTFS is supposed to address fiscal sustainability, and the fact that the Scottish Government is creating a separate one casts doubt on the usefulness and the seriousness with which the SG treats the MTFS – and therefore how seriously we should treat it.

However, let’s see what it contains, and we will analyse the contents in detail when it is produced on 29^th May. We would expect that it will say something about pay and the size and shape of the public sector in Scotland. Given that around half of Scottish Government current spending is on pay, any long-term-focussed document that does not have a specific view on the size of employment and rate of growth in payroll over a number of years cannot be regarded as credible.

We understand there are also other documents that are likely to come over the summer, such as a plan for Public Service Reform, and a plan for a shift to prevention, particularly on public health.

The issues on pay and public sector size are very relevant to Public Service Reform as well as fiscal sustainability, as it is likely that we will have to drive reform which delivers more productive public services with fewer people than work in the public sector today.

Swinney: Scottish Government is ‘fighting Scotland’s corner’

PREPARING SCOTLAND FOR THE FUTURE

First Minister John Swinney has announced he will bring forward the Scottish Government’s legislative programme to ensure the country is as prepared as possible to secure its future in the face of the uncertainty facing the global economy.

Speaking during a press conference at Bute House this morning, the First Minister announced the Programme for Government will be presented to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 6 May 2025.

It will set out the actions the Scottish Government will take to ensure resilience and deliver on the four core priorities to eradicate child poverty, grow the economy, tackle the climate emergency and ensure high quality and sustainable public services.

The First Minister also set out plans to immediately begin work with key partners in the business community and trade unions to map out the actions required in Scotland, and the UK as a whole, to respond to emerging economic challenges and ensure the needs of the devolved nations are at the heart of UK decision-making.

First Minister John Swinney said: “I know that this is a time of great uncertainty for people, that many families and businesses are worried about what global events will mean for them.

“We face yet another storm, after almost two decades of knocks and challenges – the financial crisis, austerity, Brexit, Covid, the energy price spike following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the subsequent inflation spike. Each has weakened us in some way, but none has defeated us.

“The Programme for Government will be laser-focused on delivery. It will set out what I believe my government can and will deliver for the people of Scotland over the coming year.

“The economic headwinds are blowing strong across the Atlantic and they demand a response that is both immediate and measured. My Programme for Government will set out what practical steps we will take to strengthen our response to those headwinds and ensure Scottish business and our economy is positioned well to create jobs and grow the economy.

“I want to make sure the UK Government understands where we need them to do much more to protect Scotland’s economic interests.

“As a result, I will be bringing together our key partners in the business community and the trades union movement on Wednesday to map out the actions we can take, here in Scotland, and which can be complemented across the UK, to respond to the emerging economic realities. That work will influence my government’s approach, and I want it to shape the response at a UK level into the bargain.

“A Scotland that is wealthier, fairer, more resilient – that is my ambition. I want people feeling more confident about the future and more secure in the midst of the uncertainties, because they have a government that is fighting Scotland’s corner.

“A government that is bringing people together, so that our response to the challenges we face is rooted in a Scotland that is united, prepared and determined, a Scotland confident in its ability to, once again, weather the storm and come out of that storm a great deal stronger.”

Helping disabled people into work

Support to be rolled out across Scotland

People seeking work who are disabled or have long-term health conditions are to be offered help from a dedicated employability adviser.

The initiative will be in place by next summer and involve advisers working with employers to develop roles suited to an individual’s needs.

Included as part of last week’s Programme for Government, it is designed to support people into work, boosting Scotland’s workforce and helping to drive economic growth. It will also help to deliver the Scottish Government’s ambition of creating a fairer labour market and halving the disability employment gap by 2038.

The Scottish Government will partner with local authorities and others including health and voluntary organisations to implement the measures. They build on the existing No-one Left Behind approach which has supported 61,930 people since April 2019, 19% of whom reported having a disability.

Employment Minister Tom Arthur visited the Routes to Work South, Cook and Learn Café in Cambuslang to find out how people facing challenges in getting back to work are currently being helped.

Mr Arthur said: “Our commitment to deliver specialist employability support from summer 2025 will ensure that more disabled people are able to secure fulfilling jobs.

“Tackling discrimination and stigma faced by those with disabilities and long-term health conditions is key to building a diverse workforce and creating a more prosperous and resilient economy.

“The project that I am visiting today demonstrates how supporting those furthest away from employment into work helps us to address labour market inequality and provide people with a better of quality-of-life.”

This support is being brought forward as part of the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind Strategic Plan launched earlier today.

no-one-left-behind-employability-strategic-plan-2024-2027 Download

Programme for Government – a new start for the Scottish Government?

FRASER of ALLANDER ANALYSIS

John Swinney presented his first programme for government to parliament on Wednesday. John Swinney came to power as First Minister in May, but due to the UK General election, this was his first opportunity to set out his government’s programme (write MAIRI SPOWAGE and EMMA CONGREVE).

The Programme for Government has four key themes: eradicating child poverty, economic prosperity, improving public services and protecting the planet. So far, so familiar – and not a huge departure in the substance from the three priorities presented in the 2023-24 Programme for Government by his predecessor.

The speech, of course, focused on the upside and how each strand of what was set out will be mutually reinforcing. One thing we often comment on when looking at these high-level speeches is that some of these things might occasionally conflict with each other. So, what is good for business might not be good for tackling child poverty, and vice versa.

However, the FM made clear that child poverty is ‘first and foremost in these priorities’. This sounds like a clear signal that where there are trade-offs, child poverty concerns will win over. Some may disagree with putting that first above all else, but for those of us trying to understand why certain decisions are being made, it’s not unhelpful for the government to be setting out a clear steer.

We’ll be looking at what that means in practice when it comes to Budget allocations; to implement much of what he talked about – for example, a roll-out of the type of whole family support that has been piloted so far – will require new money.

Also, following on from the Finance Secretary’s grim statement on Tuesday, no amount of prioritisation can totally overcome fiscal constraints.

Despite the fact that more targeted (rather than universal) measures are probably sensible for targeting child poverty, the non-delivery of the pledge to roll-out free school meals to all children in primary 6 and 7 is likely to sit uneasily with the FM. More tough decisions in this mould are likely to need to be made.

Elsewhere in the Programme for Government, there are some interesting specifics in relation to the economy, particularly on planning. The government has committed the establishing Scotland’s first “Planning Hub”, the establishment of Masterplan consent areas, and a planning apprenticeship programme. Whilst this sounds like pretty dry stuff, one of the most common frustrations raised by businesses is about the planning system, so this is likely to be welcomed.

Other things were notable by their absence. The Human Rights Bill and the Learning Disability, Autism and Neorodivergence Bill were not on the list of Bills for this 2024-25 session.

Given the 2025-26 session will be cut short by an election, they aren’t likely to be passed this parliament. This has come as a shock to many given previous assurances and the substantial resources that civil servants and stakeholders alike have put into the pre-legislative process to get these ready.

We’re yet to hear a convincing explanation for why they’ve been delayed.

The fiscal statement casts a long shadow

The statement on Wednesday was hugely overshadowed by the fiscal statement on Tuesday. Overall, as well as setting out fiscal “black holes” it felt like Tuesday’s statement sucked up most of the political energy around in the week, leaving Wednesday to feel like a bit of a low energy anti-climax.

We are still not sure after the statement exactly what the Finance Secretary sees as the gap in the budget. Given she has set out £500m of “direct savings” plus the use of £460m of use of Scotwind money, we assume it is roughly £1 billion. £800m of this has been tied to “pay pressure”, and the rest (we assume £100-200m?) has been described as “in demand-led activities like legal aid, police and fire pensions and the costs of accommodation for Ukrainian displaced people” plus COVID-related health measures.

After a bit more detective work, we’ve documented the “£500m of direct savings” in the table below, along with where we still have questions:

	Published description	What we’ve worked out
Savings
£65m	Pre-announced decisions: peak fare train fairs to return, no free bus travel for asylum seekers plus agreement with local government to draw on existing programmes to fund pay deals	According to Transport Scotland, the cost of the full year subsidy for the peak fares pilot was approximately £40m[i]. In theory then, not having it running for the last 6 months saves £20m, although it is unclear to us if this was budgeted for to begin with given the pilot was only expected to last for 6 months of the year.The BBC reports £2m had been set aside for free bus travel for asylum seekers[ii]BBC reports that Councils have been asked to redirect £5m of this year’s nature restoration fund to help fund pay deals[iii]. In addition, £10m has been redirected from the Connecting Scotland’s digital devices programme (free iPADs and laptops for people who were digitally excluded), £2m from the fund to expand free school meals to p6 and 7 pupils who receive the Scottish Child Payment (although they say it will still be delivered) and £26m from the Flood Risk Management Programme, on the basis that “councils do not need it in this year”.^ivThese total £65m.
£188.4	New additional measures announced on 3^rd September	Full table of figures are laid out in the Annex of the letter to the Finance Committee.As there are no figures to help put these reductions into context (i.e. in relation to the size of the original budget allocations) it makes it hard to judge whether these are likely to have a large or small impact.
£60m	Savings anticipated through emergency spending controls, in addition to savings set out as part of the £188.4 million.	They are linked to recruitment freezes, and reductions in costs of travel and marketing, as per the letter to Cabinet reported in the media^v. We have no information on how the number has been calculated.
£160m	The cost of universality in the Winter Fuel Payment.	The money for an equivalent to the UKG universal WFP was added to the Block Grant adjustment for 2024-25. The recent UKG decision to remove universality means that this money will need to be returned to UKG through the fiscal framework reconciliation process.SG could spend this money in 2024/25, but would then need to find savings in subsequent years to cover the reconciliation.We understand a decision on whether it will be spent this year is yet to be made.
Total savings
£473.5m	Up to £500 million saving measures	We understand from officials that the “up to £500m” is a rounding up of the total.

#i https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/scotrail-peak-fare-removal-pilot-report-published/

ii https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjw3n63ypjwo

iii https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy7p2y1p1eo

iv https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxjqggnewro

^{v https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/scottish-government-imposes-emergency-spending-controls-l2pnb7lsg}

The fact that we are having to piece this together, including from media reports, is obviously not ideal. We don’t think it would have been too much to ask to have all this detail laid out, along with the evidence of impact that was cited in the letter to the Fiance and Public Affairs Committee.

We hope more information is released into the public domain in the coming weeks alongside the Autumn Budget Revision so help clear things up, as far as possible…

A look ahead to the budget

We now know the Scottish Budget will be on the 4th of December. The other important day to understand what the budget may look like for the rest of this financial year and the next will be the UK Budget on 30^th October.

We should at that point have much more clarity about the financial envelope which the Scottish Government is working with for 2025-26.

There are also likely to be significant changes to departmental allocations for the current financial year (2024-25). Rachel Reeves said in her fiscal statement as Chancellor in July that she expected some of these in-year issues to be soaked up by departmental budgets.

The extent to which this will actually be achieved will also impact the monies coming to the Scottish Government. Therefore we may be most of the way through 2024-25 before we actually understand how much of the Scotwind revenue is required to balance the budget in 2024-25. It may mean that this is not the last fiscal statement we have about the current financial year.

Given all these in-year movements we would like to call, yet again (like SPICe have done in their blog), for the Government to provide in the Budget next year’s plans alongside the current position for 2024-25.

The convention (for some reason) would be to present the budget plans for 2025-26 compared to the plans that were set out for 2024-25 in December 2023. The in-year movements we have seen over the last three years make a nonsense of this convention (which reduces transparency and hampers parliamentary scrutiny).

This may be a bit of a niche point but it would make analysis of these statements much easier. Here’s hoping that this is finally the year this change is made.

Scottish Ministerial Code to be strengthened

Advisers to investigate potential breaches

Independent Advisers will be able to launch investigations into alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code under new powers being given to them by the First Minister.

Currently, investigations can only begin following a referral from the First Minister. Now, the Scottish Ministerial Code will be strengthened to enable independent advisers to investigate potential breaches whenever they feel it is warranted.

In a further reform, where a breach is established, advisers will be able to provide advice to the First Minister on appropriate sanctions.

The independent advisers will also be given a role in scrutinizing Ministers’ declarations of interests so they can offer advice on avoiding actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

First Minister John Swinney said: “The people of Scotland rightly expect Ministers, including myself, to be held to the highest standards.

“The 2023 Ministerial Code already set an extremely high bar in terms of standards in public life and these updates to the Scottish Ministerial Code, which are, collectively, the most significant since independent advisers were introduced in 2008, will further increase transparency and scrutiny.

“These changes, and others which will be confirmed when the new Code is published, will ensure we keep the public trust and continue to deliver for the people of Scotland.”

Background

Scottish Ministerial Code 2023 edition

Review of Creative Scotland announced

ARTS FUNDING CRISIS OVER – FOR NOW

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced a review of Creative Scotland to ensure its operations and structure are optimal to the needs of the culture sector, as part of this year’s Programme for Government.

The review, which will be the first since the public body’s establishment in 2010, will examine Creative Scotland’s remit and functions as a funding body, and how the overall impact of planned increases in levels of public funding can be maximised to support sustainability in the sector and in participation in the arts.

Full details of the review and its process will be set out to parliament in the near future, and will include seeking views from individuals and organisations from all parts of Scotland’s culture sector.

The Culture Secretary also confirmed that following a period of necessary due diligence, Creative Scotland had now received funding previously allocated to it in the 2024/25 Scottish budget, including £1.8 million for youth music, and £6.6 million that will allow its Open Fund to be re-opened.

Mr Robertson said: “Scotland’s culture is world-renowned and it remains integral to our nation and our economy. Over the past 14 years, Creative Scotland has had a significant role in supporting that role, distributing £65 million of public funding in the last year alone.

“With the sector having faced a number of new and enduring challenges since then, the time is now right for us to ensure Creative Scotland’s remit and functions remain relevant, in line with our commitments to invest at least £100 million more annually in the arts and culture by 2028-29, and to continuous improvement across all our public bodies.

“It is routine for public bodies to undergo reviews throughout their lifetime, and while that process is ongoing we are clear that we expect the organisations involved to take forward their business as usual.

“Creative Scotland is no different and they will be carrying on with their important work throughout.

“In the meantime I’m pleased to confirm release of £1.8 million to Creative Scotland for youth music, and another £6.6 million, which includes £3 million towards its Open Fund and £1 million for Screen Scotland.”

Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “Creative Scotland notes the intention to review the way the sector is supported, as announced by the First Minister in the Programme for Government, and we look forward to hearing more details.

“We welcome the continued commitment to provide an additional £100m in funding for Culture and will work with the Scottish Government on the effective allocation of that funding, to the benefit of culture and creativity in Scotland.

“We also welcome today’s confirmation of £6.6m, originally committed to Creative Scotland by the Scottish Government at the start of this financial year, reinstating budget removed in the previous year.

“We continue to see unprecedented levels of demand for the Open Fund for Individuals and will process the high volume of applications we have received. With the budget now confirmed, we will work to re-open this fund.

“We are sure today’s confirmation of the release of this funding will be welcomed by the creative community of Scotland.”

Delivering a ‘wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland’

Swinney to publish Programme for Government on Wednesday

Plans to deliver a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland despite difficult financial challenges will be announced by First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood this week.

The First Minister will this week deliver his first Programme for Government since taking office, laying out how the Scottish Government will focus on improving the lives of the people of Scotland.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Against a challenging financial backdrop this year’s Programme for Government will set out clear actions to deliver real change for the people of Scotland.

“The Prime Minister was clear last week that the UK Budget, to be delivered in October, will be painful, and the reality is that the UK’s finances will inevitably affect the funding available to us here in Scotland. Their decisions mean tough decisions ahead for Scotland.

“Yet despite this the Scottish Government will continue to prioritise action to eradicate child poverty, to grasp the opportunities of delivering net zero and to grow the economy by investing in public services and infrastructure.

“While we will work with the UK Government wherever we can, we will continue to urge them to drop the damaging cuts and set new spending rules that support investment.

“The Scottish Government already has a strong track record of improving lives in challenging circumstances. We have delivered an expansion of funded childcare, record investment in the NHS, renewable energy development, and the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, which are strong foundations for this year’s Programme for Government.

“Even when faced with unprecedented budgetary constraints, our aim will be to improve people’s lives by focusing on clear priorities that make the biggest difference.”

‘Our government of service’

STARMER LAYS OUT HIS PLANS TO DELIVER CHANGE FOR THE COUNTRY

This government has been elected to deliver nothing less than national renewal, to stop the chaos of the past fourteen years, to turn the page on the era of politics as performance, to return it to public service and start the work of rebuilding our country.

Because people are crying out for change, and that’s what this government of service will deliver through actions, not words.

That is why today I am setting out our plan for change, to turn the page and rebuild our country so that it’s back in the service of working people. That is what our mission-driven government will be about, focused on ambitious goals bringing together the best of our country.

We’re getting on with the job right away. Today we’re setting out new laws that will put manifesto commitments into action – improving living standards for working people and fixing the foundations of the country so that every part of the UK is supported to drive economic growth.

Growth starts with economic stability, which is why we are introducing a budget responsibility bill which will make sure that taxpayers’ money is respected.

From that solid foundation we can release the brakes on growth and wealth creation.

We will reform the planning laws, a choice ignored for fourteen years, to build the homes and infrastructure Britain needs. I know how important this is.

Our pebble-dashed semi provided a secure foundation that my parents were able to build their life on. I want everyone to have that security, including those renting, which is why we are also bringing forward tough new protections for renters.

It’s not just security at home that matters, but security at work. That’s why we will level-up rights at work to deliver security and dignity for working people. It’s what they deserve.

Alongside that, we’ll push forward devolution to the cities, regions and councils of England to deliver quality jobs and opportunities in every corner of this country. We’ll do that by putting local decision-makers in charge, moving power away from Westminster and back to those with skin in the game, who know their communities best.

We’ll also ensure people in those communities feel safe and secure. That means strengthening community policing by giving the police greater powers to deal with antisocial behaviour, strengthen support for victims, and bring forward plans to halve violence against women and girls.

We won’t stop there. I was the first in my family to go to university, and I remember the pride on my mum and dad’s faces when I graduated. I want every child to have the opportunity I had to succeed.

And no child should feel that they have less of a chance to fulfil their potential because of the circumstances they were born into.

That’s why we will break down the barriers to opportunity that hold so many young people back from living the life they deserve. We’ll also raise standards in schools, with one of our first steps recruiting 6,500 new teachers by ending unfair tax breaks for private schools.

We will also get our health service back on its feet by reducing waiting times, and bring the Mental Health Act into the twenty first century to tackle the mental health crisis.

This is a programme that will deliver the change that so many across the country are crying out for, one that is driven forward by this government of service.

Through this work, we will stop the chaos, fix our foundations, and take the brakes off Britain by returning politics to serious government.

That is the path to national renewal and rebuilding our country, and we take another step forward today.