Princely sum for art
Saud i c rown pr ince Mohammed bin Salman has been revealed as the buyer of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of Christ last month.
He purchased the work for £ 335million using his relative, prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud, to make the deal.
Da Vinci’s Christ is the only artwork of his known to be in the hands of a private owner.
Mackay said: “As well as continuing to protect public services, the 2018-19 Budget will prioritise economic growth and innovation to enable Scotland to g rasp the oppor tunities presented by a rapidly changing global economy.
“Our ambition to create an economy that works for Scotland wi l l be dr iven by investment in infrastructure, capital, research and in our people.”
Holyrood took cont rol over income tax rates last year and until now have made only made v e r y mi no r changes.
But SNP ministers last month set out four options to change rat es and bands that would see anyone earning more than £ 31,000 paying more next year. Mackay will introduce a new system that combines the options and that will raise the threshold for paying more to £ 35,000.
The four options include up to six tax bands – three more than the current system.
Three of the options would see between 43 and 50 per cent of Scotland’s 2.5million taxpayers facing increases in the amount they pay.
About 2.1milllion people who earn between £11,850 and £44,290 currently pay a 20 per cent tax rate.
The new tax bands could raise between £ 80million and £290 million in additional revenue.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said any increases had to be invested in education.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously vowed a “f irst- class education for all young people” was her top priority.
Rennie said: “An erratic Scottish