Swinney kicks off budget talks meetings

FINANCE Secretary John Swinney will be in West Lothian tonight to kick off a series of nationwide meetings on the Scottish Government's budget for next year.

He will be joined at the West Lothian Civic Centre, Livingston, by Crawford Beveridge, who chaired the Independent Budget Review, and West Lothain Council's chief executive Alex Linkston to hear from businesses, community and voluntary groups, council staff and NHS workers about their views on the choices to be made in setting the budget.

Mr Swinney said: "Scotland's budget is forecast to shrink by 3.7 billion in real terms over the next four years because of Westminster cuts.

"We have already said our budget priorities are economic recovery, protecting front line services, and developing a low-carbon Scotland. I now want to hear first hand what people think of the challenges we face."