Derek: My budget puts the public first

Renfrew MSP pledges £730m health boost

JACK THOMSON

LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay yesterday insisted that he has put public services at the heart of his budget, which was revealed at Holyrood yesterday.

The 2019/20 Scottish Budget proposes an increase of £ 730 million in health and care services, with revenues generated by tax changes.

As he unveiled spending plans at the Scottish Parliament, Mr Mackay also announced more than £180 million to raise attainment in schools.

The Renfrewshire North and West MSP said: “This is a budget of stimulus and stability.

“It delivers for today and invests in tomorrow and does so with fairness, equality and inclusiveness at its heart.

“It provides an increase of almost £ 730 million for our health and care services, invests more than £180 million to raise attainment in our schools and gives a vital boost to our economy through a £5billion infrastructure programme.

“As a result of these decisions, we have been able to invest in essential public services, particularly the NHS, while ensuring 55 per cent of income taxpayers in Scotland pay less tax than those earning the same income in the rest of the UK.

“Taken together with the personal allowance, 99 per cent of taxpayers will pay less income tax next year on the same income.

“This budget delivers the public services, social contract and economic investment people expect while mitigating, where we can, the impacts of the UK Government’s policies of austerity and Brexit that are causing so much harm.”

Tom Art hur, MSP for Renfrewshire South, said the area’s health board will benefit from a £ 76.7 million boost in funding.

He said: “People across Renfrewshire South will welcome the significant investment in our local NHS services, with a real- term increase in spending.

“The SNP value our NHS and are determined to ensure it stays fit for the future. The budget delivers for our NHS in Renfrewshire South.”

Mr Mackay, a former Renfrewshire Council leader, said tax decisions will protect low and middle income payers.

He added: “Our decisions on taxation have resulted in a more progressive tax system, protecting those lower and middle income taxpayers, while raising additional revenue to invest in our public services and the Scottish economy.

“Those priorities will continue to be front and centre of our tax policy in the year ahead.

“Freezing the higher rate tax threshold will ensure Scotland’s health and care services gets the full budget increase they deserve, despite a £ 55 million shortfall from the UK Government’s autumn budget.”