Families’ water bills to rise as John Swinney unveils budget
JOHN Swinney yesterday admitted that he faces his “toughest” financial year as he unveiled a budget that he said would create 10,000 jobs for young Scots and stimulate the construction industry.
Budget key points:
• £40m funding for affordable housing
• £80m for schools building programme
• Public sector pay freeze to end in 2013-14
• 1% pay rise for lowest paid public sector workers
• £30m for green energy projects
• £2.5m for hybrid buses
• £17m for colleges and student support
• Employer recruitment initiative for young people
• £6m for cycling infrastructure
• £1.5m for VisitScotland tourism marketing
• £1m to maintain historic buildings
• Creation of an Energy Skills Academy
The finance secretary said the economic conditions facing Scotland were the most challenging since devolution as he outlined his Draft Budget for 2013-14.
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Hide AdMr Swinney made a series of mostly low-key announcements, which only amounted to £180 million of an overall budget of £28.4 billion. After announcing his plans at Holyrood, Mr Swinney said that, confronted with Westminster cuts, he had “looked for every available device I have to try and put investment into the economy”.