Programme for Government – The NEN

Ambitious for Scotland?

Programme for Government 2026-2031

Patients will receive better care, with shorter waits, as a result of the most significant structural reform of our NHS in the devolution era, First Minister John Swinney announced yesterday, as he unveiled a major modernisation programme of Scotland’s public services.

Setting out his Programme for Government, the First Minister pledged that all the actions of his government would be focused on delivering lasting improvements to people’s lives as he presented a package of measures to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government would also continue to drive improvements in the priority areas of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and tackling the climate emergency as he outlined work to reduce NHS waiting times and action to tackle violence against women and girls.

Key announcements include:

Replacing the current 14 territorial health boards with two strategic health boards which – alongside other measures – will free up more time and capacity for treatment
Delivering a national breakfast club for all primary schools from August 2027 and, by 2031, providing childcare support 52 weeks a year for children from nine months old to the end of primary school
Tackling poverty by increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 per week for eligible babies under 1 during 2027-28
Investing £205 million in winter heating payments for pensioners, families with disabled children and struggling households
Recognising that hostility to women and girls is a serious societal problem by defining misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse
Expanding the £2 bus fare cap beyond the Highlands and Islands to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area from Monday 7 September followed by a national roll-out by the end of this Parliament
Improving public services by removing unnecessary duplication and overlap, getting resources more directly to the frontline services
Over the next three months, with partners, reach a clear shared direction on substantial reform to local governance, including social care
Bringing the national environment public bodies into a single overarching body to make environmental interventions more impactful
Supporting better jobs and higher incomes by making Scotland a better place to invest and do business

First Minister John Swinney said: “This ambitious Programme for Government has radical and widespread public service reform at its heart to deliver real, lasting improvements to people’s lives.

“By rewiring a system of services designed for the last century, we will simplify and reshape organisations on which everyone relies and ensure every pound of investment achieves maximum impact.

“As we do so, we will build on the most generous cost of living package anywhere in the UK while continuing to tackle inequality, poverty and division.

“This is a Programme for Government to deliver a fairer, healthier and more prosperous nation.”

The First Minister also stated that Scotland would only reach its full potential by becoming an independent nation.

“We will give the leadership for Scotland to decide her own future and advance our belief that Scotland will be better off with Independence.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

The First Minister also confirmed Scottish Government plans to introduce nine Bills over the course of 2026-27:

Budget Bill
Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill
Council Tax (Scotland) Bill
Damages (Scotland) Bill
Food Prices (Scotland) Bill
Football Banning Orders (Scotland) Bill
Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
Misogyny (Criminal Law) (Scotland Bill
Public Service Renewal (Scotland) Bill

REACTION:

Peter Kelly of Scotland’s Poverty Alliance commented: “It was good to hear a promise to eradicate child poverty – and we welcome the further development of the Whole Family Wellbeing approach.

“However, we know that secure, adequate incomes are the bedrock of efforts to eradicate poverty. That means progressively increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £55 a week by the end of this Parliament.

Without that scale of change, it’s hard to see how the First Minister will keep that promise to Scotland’s children.”

COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s Programme for Government announcement: “Today’s Programme for Government is a significant statement of the Scottish Government’s priorities, and we will take time to consider its detail carefully.

“There are important implications for local government and council services, particularly the proposed NHS reforms and what they will mean for the future delivery of social care.

“Over the coming days, COSLA will engage closely with our member councils and with Scottish Ministers to ensure these proposals are focused on what is best for communities across Scotland and respect the democratic legitimacy of local government.

“Public services work best when decisions are taken as close to communities as possible. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government and believe that the dialogue on the future of local governance must be carried forward with councils and COSLA as the collective voice of local government.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), said: “While we welcome the focus on reforming the public sector to make it work better for citizens, LGIU is concerned that two concurrent, three-month consultations on the restructuring of local government and the reform of social care mean the views and expertise of the local government sector will not be adequately represented.

“Local government reorganisation is a serious undertaking. And it will be impossible to achieve without an agenda to save local government finances, which is conspicuously absent from this Programme.

“The Scottish Government should enter this endeavour with the expectation that it will be hard, and that making a success of it will be impossible without buy-in from across the sector and clear aims about what the desired outcomes are.

“The same is true with social care. The last major social care reform attempt was the introduction of the National Care Service, the structural part of which failed in part because of limited engagement with local government.

“We appreciate the Government’s newfound urgency to tackle both the social care crisis and empower the regional and local tiers of government, but it is hard to see how a three-month sprint to round off decades-old debates will ensure that all relevant voices are heard.”

In response to the Programme for Government, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “We are delighted that our calls for whole family support, investment in a national Bairns Hoose programme, a public health approach to online harm and a greater emphasis on prevention have been included in today’s Programme for Government.

“Prevention is rightly at the heart of the Scottish Government’s ambitions, but it’s been the goal for more than 15 years. The gap between policy intent and the reality of children’s lives has never been wider. The First Minister will understand why people are impatient for change.

“It is disappointing that the specific, funded commitments needed to put Scotland back on track to meet its child poverty targets have not been included. We do not need further reviews or consultations – the next budget must deliver the action and investment children and families need.

“Children First share the Scottish Government’s aim for every child to live free from poverty, safe from harm and for children’s rights to be protected at every stage.

“We look forward to working alongside the Scottish Government and hope that local government, partners and communities will make the same commitment, because it will take everybody to close the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does.”

Billy Alexander, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said: “We welcome today’s commitment from First Minister, to ensure every stroke patient in Scotland who needs a thrombectomy gets one – regardless of the time or day. Whilst long overdue, this way could herald a genuine turning point for stroke care in Scotland.

“Thrombectomy is a lifechanging treatment that can mean the difference between someone returning to an independent life or living with significant long-term disability. Yet, all too often, the time or place someone has their stroke can determine whether they receive it.

“The test now will be implementation. We need a clear, sustainable, robustly funded, and time-bound plan that delivers equitable access to thrombectomy around the clock and across the country.

“That same level of ambition is also needed to drive wider improvements across stroke care, from the point of emergency and treatment through to rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Only then will every stroke survivor in Scotland be properly supported to live well after stroke.”

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager of older people’s charity Independent Age, said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling the cost of living crisis.

“At Independent Age, we hear every day from older people being squeezed by rising costs. Action is urgently required to support the 130,000 pensioners currently in poverty in Scotland.

“We know that too often the social security system fails to reach the older people who need it most, with hundreds of millions of pounds going unpaid every year. Commitments today to maximise the take-up of social security payments hold real potential to boost incomes for older people in financial hardship and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to progress this welcome and vital work.

“Today’s announcement that the Heat in Buildings Bill will be introduced and the commitment to ongoing winter heating support for pensioners is also very important. Our research has shown that almost 4 in 5 older people on a low income have cut back on heating, so it’s clear that measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes and support older people with energy costs is urgently needed.

“Despite these positive steps, to meaningfully tackle the range of issues facing the one in eight older people in Scotland who live in poverty, we need sustained strategic action to boost incomes and reduce costs through a national pensioner poverty strategy. In a wealthy and fair society, both the Scottish and UK Governments must do more to make sure every older person can live well.”

The British Dental Association Scotland has expressed its profound scepticism that plans for wholesale reform of Scotland’s health boards represents a silver bullet and has called for forensic scrutiny from MSPs.

Today First Minister John Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that “to ensure more joined-up delivery, to improve access to care and to reduce inequality for some patients” the fourteen current health boards would be reduced to two. While the professional body is wholly supportive of these objectives, following publication of the Programme for Government it is unclear how any of them will be achieved via these proposals.

The BDA will be addressing the Health, Care and Sport Committee this week, stressing the risk of unintended consequences.

BDA Scotland Director Charlotte Waite said: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that top-down reorganisations of the NHS rarely deliver the goods for taxpayers, patients, or practitioners.

“These plans need to be subjected to forensic scrutiny. They only thing we can be sure of at this stage is unintended consequences.”

Responding to the Programme for Government, Anna Fowlie, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (SCVO) Chief Executive, said:   ”I’m pleased to see that the Programme for Government recognises the essential role the voluntary sector plays in addressing some of Scotland’s biggest challenges, from child poverty and gender-based violence to community cohesion and public service reform.

“We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to a Third Sector Partnership, founded on trust, collaboration and mutual respect. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver the kind of partnership with government that voluntary organisations have long called for, one that brings meaningful change.

“We also welcome commitments to multi-year funding in a number of areas, and the first public recognition that the voluntary sector, alongside communities, must play a significant part in shaping public service reform. I look forward to seeing these commitments delivering significant progress in delivering Fair Funding across government portfolios and public bodies.

“Finally, I welcome the First Minister’s commitment to strengthen community cohesion and counter those who seek to divide Scotland. Voluntary organisations across Scotland are on the frontline of supporting people targeted by bigotry, racism and hatred, while bringing communities together in the face of division.

“Their work demonstrates the very best of Scotland: compassion, solidarity and a determination to ensure everyone belongs. Achieving that ambition will require sustained recognition, support and investment from the Scottish Government.”

£106 million to reduce waiting times

SCOTLAND’S LONGEST WAITS TO BE TARGETED

More than £106 million has been allocated to health boards in Scotland to help tackle the longest waits for procedures and operations.

The funding has been assigned to specialty areas for the year ahead where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits – this includes £25 million for trauma and orthopaedics, £21 million for imaging, £14 million for cancer treatment and more than £12 million for ophthalmology.

The investment is part of the £200 million announced as part of the Programme for Government to build capacity, tackle delayed discharge and improve patient flow through hospitals.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists – significant activity is already underway through this additional investment which will help us target the longest waits for treatment.

“We are determined to reduce patient waits in the year ahead and this £106 million of additional funding will help us to deliver more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025-26. This funding is just part of our record investment of £21.7 billion for health and social care this year.

“Last year, health boards vastly exceeded the commitment to deliver 64,000 appointments and procedures – instead delivering more than 105,000 through our targeted approach. This investment will allow us to build on this progress and deliver tangible improvements for patients.”

New fund to prevent homelessness

Cash-first approach to keeping tenants in their homes

A partnership programme to help prevent people from becoming homeless has been launched by the Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville. This is in addition to the £4 million investment in homelessness prevention pilots in 2025-26 highlighted by the First Minister in the Programme for Government.

The £1 million Upstream Homelessness Prevention Fund will bring together Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), third sector organisations, community groups and other local partners to expand on existing successful approaches to preventing homelessness and explore innovative ways to sustain tenancies.

Partnerships funded by the programme will receive a cash fund for individual payments of up to £1,300 to help prevent people becoming homeless. The year long programme will also help to inform how RSLs will carry out the new Ask and Act prevention duties outlined in the Housing Bill currently progressing through Parliament.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland will administer the Scottish Government funded scheme which is open for applications.

Ms Somerville said: “The aim of the fund is to break the cycle of repeat homelessness by providing targeted joined-up support for people struggling to pay their rent while also having to navigate housing, health and social care services.

“This early intervention approach will help to minimise evictions by upstream prevention activity and identifying opportunities to build up support systems where they are needed. This will help people to keep their tenancies and prevent them from becoming homeless.

“The scheme will also provide valuable feedback for the wider RSL network and provide examples of service design and delivery that can be replicated in other places and contexts.”

Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “We are delighted to administer this important funding, which will complement the significant efforts housing associations make to help people remain in their homes.

“This could include providing direct cash interventions to those facing financial difficulties, or forming local partnerships to make use of shared spaces and staff to create joined-up approaches to homelessness prevention.

“Beyond the funding, this programme will also provide vital insights on the support needed to help people at risk of homelessness and inform future approaches to partnership working to deliver the Ask and Act duty.”

Homeless Network Scotland Chief Executive Maggie Brunjes said: “Housing associations and third sector organisations are ideally positioned to prevent homelessness by delivering early, community-focused interventions.

“This Scottish Government funding will support local partnerships, enabling tailored solutions that tackle material hardship and leverage community resources to help people remain in their homes.”

First Minister’s cost of living guarantee

The Scottish Government’s cost of living guarantee will help to deliver vital support for the people of Scotland, First Minister John Swinney has said.

The Programme for Government 2025-26 commits to a range of measures which will help households in a challenging economic climate.

The cost of living guarantee includes:

Lower income tax than in England for the majority of workers
Continuation of free prescriptions and free eye appointments
Free bus travel for 2.3 million people
Scottish undergraduate students will continue to pay no tuition fees
Funded childcare hours, which would otherwise cost families more than £6,000 a year per eligible child.
Free school meals, which save the average family who take up the offer £400 per child per year, will be expanded, and more breakfast clubs introduced.
Winter fuel payments restored for Scottish pensioners in 2025-26

The Programme for Government also committed to scrapping peak rail fares for good from September.

The First Minister said: “This Scottish Government will always do what it can to deliver the best deal for the people of Scotland.

“Our cost of living guarantee is delivering real savings for hard-pressed households across the country and it goes further than any package offered in the rest of the UK.

“These policies are already saving people money year on year, in the form of free prescriptions, free bus travel and more. This year we will go even further, funding the restoration of winter fuel payments for every pensioner in Scotland after they were abandoned by the UK Government.

“And from September, we will be scrapping peak rail fares for good – delivering a better deal for commuters.

“I know that too many people are still struggling during the cost of living crisis and that is why my government is taking action to keep more money in people’s pockets during tough times.”

Letters: Scotland must act on Promise to support care-experienced children

Dear Editor

Outlined in the Scottish Government’s recent Programme for Government is the Children and Young People (Care) Bill.

This legislation aims to further support The Promise, produced by the Independent Care Review in 2020, and which is Scotland’s pledge to care-experienced children and young people that they will grow up loved, safe, and respected.

As a coalition, along with others, we have been advocating for care-experienced individuals, who often face complex situations alone, to have the right to lifelong, independent advocacy. This will ensure that care-experienced individuals are aware of their rights and can make informed decisions about their lives.

With the Promise Bill now part of the legislative landscape, it is time for this fundamental right, as committed to in The Promise itself five years ago, to be enshrined in law. Too many individuals are currently missing out on the advice and support they desperately need, often when they need it most.

Scotland has an opportunity to lead the way, and the Bill provides the opportunity to deliver action on advocacy.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Falkland House School

LOVE Learning

Spark of Genius

Young Foundations

42 Charlotte Square

Edinburgh EH2 4HQ

Tel: 0131 603 8996

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.

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