Spending plans will set Scotland on a new path.
The 2022-2023 Scottish Budget will help transition Scotland to becoming more prosperous, fairer and greener, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has said.
Speaking ahead of delivering the Budget to Parliament today, Ms Forbes said the Scottish Government will deliver a bold and ambitious package of public investment that delivers on the priorities which matter most to the people of Scotland.
Ms Forbes said:
The Scottish Budget will provide taxpayers with stability and support, set out clearly how we will accelerate our Covid recovery, and crucially, how our spending plans will set Scotland on a new ambitious path.
It has been a challenging Budget due to the continuing impact of the pandemic, and the uncertainty and worry that Covid poses for us all. This has been confounded by the UK Government's decision to remove necessary Covid consequential funding at a time when we undeniably need to help our public services.
The Scottish Government has taken spending decisions that prioritise supporting people and our vital public services through the twin crises of Covid and the cost of living. It is a budget for Scotland's future - one that will help us secure a fairer, greener and more prosperous country.
Background
This is the first Scottish Budget developed in collaboration with the Scottish Green Party following the Bute House Agreement signed in August 2021. This Budget will deliver on the commitments in that agreement to help accelerate efforts to become a net-zero economy whilst supporting people, businesses and communities to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.