Official Report 762KB pdf
Under our second agenda item, we will consider the Budget (Scotland) (No 4) Bill at stage 2. We are still joined by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. Officials who are present for this item are unable to participate in formal stage 2 proceedings, as is set out in standing orders.
Committee members should have with them a copy of the bill as introduced, the marshalled list of amendments and the groupings of amendments document, which sets out the groupings of amendments in the order in which they will be debated.
As members are aware, only the Scottish Government can lodge amendments to budget bills. The cabinet secretary has lodged six amendments to be considered today. Should there be a division, voting will be done by a show of hands. It is important that members keep their hands clearly raised until the clerks have recorded the vote. The committee is required to indicate formally that it has considered and agreed to each section of the bill, so I will put a question on each section at the appropriate point.
Section 1 agreed to.
Schedule 1—The Scottish Administration
Amendment 1, in the name of the cabinet secretary, is grouped with amendments 2 to 6.
The six proposed amendments will update the bill to reflect the changes that I communicated to the committee in my letter of 28 January 2025. The changes arise from the Scottish Government’s having reached separate agreements with the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Green Party on supporting the budget, which will deliver on shared priorities and ensure stability for Scotland’s public services.
Taken together, amendments 1 to 4 will amend schedule 1 to increase the maximum spend across four ministerial portfolios. They will authorise a combined total of £16.7 million of additional funding for the health and social care portfolio, the education and skills portfolio, the transport portfolio and the net zero and energy portfolio.
Amendment 1 will increase the health and social care portfolio allocation by £3.5 million. That will provide £2.5 million for drug and neonatal services and a further £1 million for hospice investment.
Amendment 2 will increase the education and skills portfolio allocation by £7.2 million. That will provide the college sector with £3.5 million for the offshore wind skills programme and the college care skills programme. It will also provide £0.7 million for continuation of support for Corseford College and £3 million for the extension of free school meals eligibility in secondary schools, with a test-of-change phase for secondary 1 to 3 pupils who are in receipt of the Scottish child payment in eight local authority areas.
Amendment 3 will increase the transport portfolio allocation by £3 million to establish a £2 bus fare cap pilot in a regional transport partnership area.
Amendment 4 will increase the net zero and energy portfolio allocation by £3 million to provide further investment in nature restoration activities.
To take account of that additional authorised spend, amendment 5 will amend schedule 1 to increase by £16.7 million the total amount of resources that the Scottish Administration will be authorised to use.
Finally, amendment 6 will amend section 4 as a consequence of amendments 1 to 5. It will increase the Scottish Administration’s overall cash authorisation by £16.7 million so that the Government can draw down the necessary funds to cover the additional spend that I have set out.
I urge members to support the amendments in the group.
I move amendment 1.
No members have indicated that they wish to comment, so I invite the cabinet secretary to wind up.
I have nothing to add.
Amendment 1 agreed to.
Amendments 2 to 5 moved—[Shona Robison]—and agreed to.
Schedule 1, as amended, agreed to.
Section 2 agreed to.
Schedule 2 agreed to.
Section 3 agreed to.
Schedule 3 agreed to.
Section 4—Overall cash authorisations
Amendment 6 moved—[Shona Robison]—and agreed to.
Section 4, as amended, agreed to.
Sections 5 to 11 agreed to.
Long title agreed to.
That concludes stage 2 consideration of the bill. I thank the cabinet secretary. The stage 3 debate is due to take place next Tuesday.
That concludes the public part of our meeting. Our next agenda item, which will be taken in private, is consideration of a proposed contingent liability.
11:51 Meeting continued in private until 12:26.Air ais
Budget Scrutiny 2025-26