The first minister turns to health and says the NHS Recovery Plan will be supported by more than £1bn of targeted investment over this parliament.
She pledges:
£50m to help
improve Accident and Emergency waiting times
waits of more
than 18 months for outpatients will be eliminated in most specialties by the end of
this year, and for inpatients by September next year
elimination of waits
of more than one year for outpatients by March next year; and for inpatients and
day cases by September 2024
the next four national treatment centres will open over the coming year, in
Fife, Forth Valley, Highland and at the Golden Jubilee in Glasgow.
investment of a further £10m to improve waiting times for cancer diagnostics and treatments, and
establish a further two Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services
Protection from Covid
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Over autumn and winter, Covid
booster shots, alongside flu vaccines, will be offered to those most vulnerable
to serious illness.
The government will provide NHS boards with
funding and support to deliver co-ordinated services for those living with long
Covid.
Landlords' body astounded by rent freeze announcement
The Scottish Association of Landlords has said that the move to freeze rents was an "easy option" which "attacked landlords".
Its chief executive John
Blackwood said that the government had failed to help tenants directly and instead had chosen to "penalise people who have provided the homes politicians have failed to provide for decades".
Quote Message: Since rumours of this announcement broke this morning, I have been inundated by landlords saying they will be removing their vacant properties from the rental market - and I don’t blame them.” from John Blackwood Chief Executive of Scottish Association of Landlords
Since rumours of this announcement broke this morning, I have been inundated by landlords saying they will be removing their vacant properties from the rental market - and I don’t blame them.”
Free school meals to be extended to primary 6 and 7 pupils
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
The first minister outlines further measures to help families with the cost of the school day, plus other education reforms.
Free
school meals - already available to all pupils in primary 1 to 5 - will be extended to include all pupils
in primary 6 and 7
The first £50m of a £500m family wellbeing fund will be invested to help vulnerable families
A Children’s Care and Justice Bill will be introduced, which among other measures will end the practice of placing
children under 18 in young offenders’ institutions
Options to extend year-round childcare for school-age children will be designed and tested
Work will start on a further 17
new schools in the year ahead
An Education
Reform Bill will establish an independent education inspectorate and
a new public body responsible for qualifications
£200m each year will be invested to help eliminate the poverty-related attainment gap by 2026, with a new commissioner appointed to help widen access to higher education
Analysis
Stark warning on cash shortage
Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor
Nicola
Sturgeon’s plans to freeze rents, ban evictions and raise the child payment to
£25 a week will make the headlines today.
But
these announcements were prefaced with a very stark warning from the first
minister - that the Scottish government is getting short of cash.
That
rising inflation has reduced their spending power and that larger than expected
pay deals for public sector workers and other cost-of-living help will also
limit what they can spend elsewhere.
In
short, “hard choices” lie ahead and the Scottish government won’t be able to do
everything it would like.
That
may not only mean rejecting new demands but potentially delaying or dropping
some existing commitments.
The
first minister did not give details. It seems that is being delegated to her
deputy, John Swinney, who is due to make a separate financial statement
tomorrow.
Increase in child payment 'will increase opportunity'
As confirmed earlier, Nicola Sturgeon says the increase in the Scottish Child Payment from £20 to £25 per week - applying to 400,000 under-16s from 14 November - will "tackle child poverty, increase opportunity and improve educational attainment".
She highlights the fact that the payment will have increased by 150% in less than eight months, and constitutes support of £1,300 per year for each child.
The Early Learning and School Age
Payments will also now be awarded automatically to families in receipt of the
Scottish Child Payment, without the need for a further application.
Two Child Payment bridging payments will be made by the end of the
year, the FM says.
Although she cannot commit today to increases in the value of those payments, Ms Sturgeon confirms "this will be given
priority consideration in the emergency budget review".
FM accused of 'political point-scoring' and 'desperation' over rent freeze plan
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
Nicola Sturgeon's plan to freeze rents in the private sector has been branded a "sign of desperation" by Scotland's largest lettings agency.
David Alexander, chief executive officer of DJ Alexander Scotland Ltd, said the first minister's proposal "tells you all you need to know about the Scottish government’s commitment to consultation and fairness".
Ms Sturgeon sought to "gain cheap political points" by placing the cost burden of the freeze on landlords," he said, "whilst not addressing the fundamental failings of her own
government’s housing policy”.
“No government would tell supermarkets, pubs or clothing manufacturers
to freeze the cost of their goods, but it seems that Nicola Sturgeon and her
colleagues believe the private rented sector is fair game," Mr Alexander said.
The policy would lead to "a shrinking of the private rented sector at
a time when demand is at its highest", and "councils are seeking help from the private sector to house the
homeless", he added.
Quote Message: This move marks a new low in the Scottish government’s relations with the private rented sector and, given that this has been done without consultation, is a sign of desperation at a time when we need considered thought and action," from David Alexander CEO of Scotland's largest lettings agency
This move marks a new low in the Scottish government’s relations with the private rented sector and, given that this has been done without consultation, is a sign of desperation at a time when we need considered thought and action,"
More funding for zero emissions heat projects along the Clyde
The first minister says her priority is to provide security and stability and safeguard jobs and
homes.
"We will put as much money as
possible into people’s pockets through decent pay rises," she says.
The programme for the year ahead will also address longer-term challenges to build a "wealthier, fairer and
greener country".
A Housing
Bill will improve affordability for the longer
term and provide new rights for tenants
Eligibility for the Warmer Homes Scotland programme - helping households to
install energy efficiency measures - will be extended
A £25m Clyde Mission Decarbonisation Fund will be launched to support zero emission heat projects and
communal heating systems along the length of the Clyde.
ScotRail fares to be frozen until March 2023
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Ms Sturgeon says that although she does not have the power
to freeze energy prices, she will use Scotland’s powers to “bear down on costs”.
To that end:
ScotRail fares will be frozen until at least March 2023
The government will encourage banks and other financial services firms to take an approach that maximises security for homeowners and businesses
It will also raise the minimum
threshold at which bank arrestments can be made, introducing regulations to
give greater protection to those repaying debts through the Debt Arrangement
Scheme, via a new Bankruptcy and Diligence Bill
Turning to her “priority actions”, the first minister says
the Scottish government will take the following steps to “strengthen the safety
net” for those who are struggling to pay bills.
It will:
Double the fuel security fund from £10m to £20m this year
Give local authorities flexibility to use discretionary
housing payments to help with energy costs and rent payments, plus increase funding for Discretionary Housing
Payments by £5m
Extend eligibility for the
Tenant Grant Fund so it can provide
help for those struggling to pay rent owing to wider cost of living
increases
Budget review statement due tomorrow
The first minister says her government's emergency budget review is intended to maximise
the help it can provide - while still balancing the books.
"That will mean stopping some things we planned to do,
to fund what is essential to support people through this crisis," she says.
"John Swinney will say more about the budget review in
a statement tomorrow."
However, the budget review cannot be finished until the Scottish government understands the impact of decisions that will be taken at
Westminster in the days and weeks ahead.
Ms Sturgeon says that within two weeks of an
expected UK government budget, the Scottish government will lay out an emergency Scottish government budget review to parliament.
This will then inform its Annual Budget Bill
for 2023/24.
How many people rent their homes in Scotland?
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
About 38% of Scottish homes are in the rented sector which is made up of three key elements;
14% - private rentals
14% - local authority
10% - housing associations
A government consultation paper published in December last year, said that since 1981, the number of local
authority rented homes had fallen by some 713,000 properties due to "Right to
Buy" sales as well as stock transfers to housing associations.
It went on to say that the rate of decrease had slowed in recent years due to an increase in
new supply of local authority housing from 2007 onwards and the "Right to Buy" scheme ending in 2016.
In the past 20 years the private rented sector has grown by more than two-and-a-half times from 130,000 to 340,000.
Sturgeon says Scottish budget worth a staggering £1.7bn less
The first minister says the Scottish "budget today is worth a staggering £1.7 billion less than when it was published
last December".
Ms Sturgeon says: "Our job in the midst of a cost crisis is not to press
down on pay. Our job is to boost it with every penny we can lay our hands on."
She goes on to say: "Unless Westminster increases the total amount of
money available, every additional percentage point on a pay deal, and every
pound we spend on measures to help with rising costs, must be funded by
reductions elsewhere in our budget."
Analysis
Analysis
FM to increase Scottish Child Payment
Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor
The Scottish Child Payment was introduced in 2019, at £10
per eligible child under the age of six. That was expected at the time to raise
around 30,000 children out of poverty. A promise to double it and extend its
age reach was made during the 2021 Holyrood election campaign.
That intention has now gone further, to £25 per child per
week, covering those aged up to 16.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, this should
"greatly improve the adequacy of support for families, particularly for larger families".
But in its Poverty in Scotland
report, last October, it concluded that other changes are required, with
targeted support in Scotland to those in most need of help, and higher levels
of benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions in Whitehall.
"Even with the doubling of the child payment we will
not meet the interim child poverty target," it said.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission, meanwhile, has warned that
promises being made under the welfare and benefits powers newly devolved to
Holyrood are on course to squeeze other important budgets for public services.
FM calls for action on energy bills
Ms Sturgeon calls on the UK government to :
Cancel the October rise in the energy cap and freeze energy bills right away, including businesses and the third sector.
Target additional cash support to those already struggling
Increase the budgets of devolved governments - or grant greater powers to
borrow - so they can do more to help public services and workers.
Introduce an enhanced windfall profits tax
BreakingChild payment increases to £25 per week
Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish Child Payment will rise to £25 per week, applying to 400,000 under-16s from 14 November.
The Queen has asked Liz Truss to form a new governmentImage caption: The Queen has asked Liz Truss to form a new government
A new UK prime minister has of course just been appointed.
"I congratulate Liz Truss and wish her well.
"Our political differences are significant, but, as with the previous three prime ministers, I will work hard to establish a good working relationship."
The first minister reiterates her call for an emergency four-nation summit on the cost crisis.
Ms Sturgeon calls for action to reform the energy market, action to freeze energy prices, more cash support for those struggling and increased funding for public services.
The powers to deal with the crisis do not lie with the Scottish Parliament, they are reserved to Westminster.
Live Reporting
BBC Scotland News
All times stated are UK
NHS Recovery Plan supported by more than £1bn
The first minister turns to health and says the NHS Recovery Plan will be supported by more than £1bn of targeted investment over this parliament.
She pledges:
Protection from Covid
Over autumn and winter, Covid booster shots, alongside flu vaccines, will be offered to those most vulnerable to serious illness.
The government will provide NHS boards with funding and support to deliver co-ordinated services for those living with long Covid.
Landlords' body astounded by rent freeze announcement
The Scottish Association of Landlords has said that the move to freeze rents was an "easy option" which "attacked landlords".
Its chief executive John Blackwood said that the government had failed to help tenants directly and instead had chosen to "penalise people who have provided the homes politicians have failed to provide for decades".
Free school meals to be extended to primary 6 and 7 pupils
The first minister outlines further measures to help families with the cost of the school day, plus other education reforms.
Stark warning on cash shortage
Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor
Nicola Sturgeon’s plans to freeze rents, ban evictions and raise the child payment to £25 a week will make the headlines today.
But these announcements were prefaced with a very stark warning from the first minister - that the Scottish government is getting short of cash.
That rising inflation has reduced their spending power and that larger than expected pay deals for public sector workers and other cost-of-living help will also limit what they can spend elsewhere.
In short, “hard choices” lie ahead and the Scottish government won’t be able to do everything it would like.
That may not only mean rejecting new demands but potentially delaying or dropping some existing commitments.
The first minister did not give details. It seems that is being delegated to her deputy, John Swinney, who is due to make a separate financial statement tomorrow.
Increase in child payment 'will increase opportunity'
As confirmed earlier, Nicola Sturgeon says the increase in the Scottish Child Payment from £20 to £25 per week - applying to 400,000 under-16s from 14 November - will "tackle child poverty, increase opportunity and improve educational attainment".
She highlights the fact that the payment will have increased by 150% in less than eight months, and constitutes support of £1,300 per year for each child.
The Early Learning and School Age Payments will also now be awarded automatically to families in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, without the need for a further application.
Two Child Payment bridging payments will be made by the end of the year, the FM says.
Although she cannot commit today to increases in the value of those payments, Ms Sturgeon confirms "this will be given priority consideration in the emergency budget review".
FM accused of 'political point-scoring' and 'desperation' over rent freeze plan
Nicola Sturgeon's plan to freeze rents in the private sector has been branded a "sign of desperation" by Scotland's largest lettings agency.
David Alexander, chief executive officer of DJ Alexander Scotland Ltd, said the first minister's proposal "tells you all you need to know about the Scottish government’s commitment to consultation and fairness".
Ms Sturgeon sought to "gain cheap political points" by placing the cost burden of the freeze on landlords," he said, "whilst not addressing the fundamental failings of her own government’s housing policy”.
“No government would tell supermarkets, pubs or clothing manufacturers to freeze the cost of their goods, but it seems that Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues believe the private rented sector is fair game," Mr Alexander said.
The policy would lead to "a shrinking of the private rented sector at a time when demand is at its highest", and "councils are seeking help from the private sector to house the homeless", he added.
More funding for zero emissions heat projects along the Clyde
The first minister says her priority is to provide security and stability and safeguard jobs and homes.
"We will put as much money as possible into people’s pockets through decent pay rises," she says.
The programme for the year ahead will also address longer-term challenges to build a "wealthier, fairer and greener country".
ScotRail fares to be frozen until March 2023
Ms Sturgeon says that although she does not have the power to freeze energy prices, she will use Scotland’s powers to “bear down on costs”.
To that end:
More funding to help people pay rent
Turning to her “priority actions”, the first minister says the Scottish government will take the following steps to “strengthen the safety net” for those who are struggling to pay bills.
It will:
Budget review statement due tomorrow
The first minister says her government's emergency budget review is intended to maximise the help it can provide - while still balancing the books.
"That will mean stopping some things we planned to do, to fund what is essential to support people through this crisis," she says.
"John Swinney will say more about the budget review in a statement tomorrow."
However, the budget review cannot be finished until the Scottish government understands the impact of decisions that will be taken at Westminster in the days and weeks ahead.
Ms Sturgeon says that within two weeks of an expected UK government budget, the Scottish government will lay out an emergency Scottish government budget review to parliament.
This will then inform its Annual Budget Bill for 2023/24.
How many people rent their homes in Scotland?
About 38% of Scottish homes are in the rented sector which is made up of three key elements;
A government consultation paper published in December last year, said that since 1981, the number of local authority rented homes had fallen by some 713,000 properties due to "Right to Buy" sales as well as stock transfers to housing associations.
It went on to say that the rate of decrease had slowed in recent years due to an increase in new supply of local authority housing from 2007 onwards and the "Right to Buy" scheme ending in 2016.
In the past 20 years the private rented sector has grown by more than two-and-a-half times from 130,000 to 340,000.
Sturgeon says Scottish budget worth a staggering £1.7bn less
The first minister says the Scottish "budget today is worth a staggering £1.7 billion less than when it was published last December".
Ms Sturgeon says: "Our job in the midst of a cost crisis is not to press down on pay. Our job is to boost it with every penny we can lay our hands on."
She goes on to say: "Unless Westminster increases the total amount of money available, every additional percentage point on a pay deal, and every pound we spend on measures to help with rising costs, must be funded by reductions elsewhere in our budget."
Analysis
FM to increase Scottish Child Payment
Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor
The Scottish Child Payment was introduced in 2019, at £10 per eligible child under the age of six. That was expected at the time to raise around 30,000 children out of poverty. A promise to double it and extend its age reach was made during the 2021 Holyrood election campaign.
That intention has now gone further, to £25 per child per week, covering those aged up to 16.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, this should "greatly improve the adequacy of support for families, particularly for larger families".
But in its Poverty in Scotland report, last October, it concluded that other changes are required, with targeted support in Scotland to those in most need of help, and higher levels of benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions in Whitehall.
"Even with the doubling of the child payment we will not meet the interim child poverty target," it said.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission, meanwhile, has warned that promises being made under the welfare and benefits powers newly devolved to Holyrood are on course to squeeze other important budgets for public services.
FM calls for action on energy bills
Ms Sturgeon calls on the UK government to :
BreakingChild payment increases to £25 per week
Nicola Sturgeon says the Scottish Child Payment will rise to £25 per week, applying to 400,000 under-16s from 14 November.
FM congratulates new PM
A new UK prime minister has of course just been appointed.
"I congratulate Liz Truss and wish her well.
"Our political differences are significant, but, as with the previous three prime ministers, I will work hard to establish a good working relationship."
The first minister reiterates her call for an emergency four-nation summit on the cost crisis.
You can follow live coverage of Liz Truss becoming PM here.
BreakingRent freeze announced for private and social housing tenants
Nicola Sturgeon confirms emergency legislation to freeze rents for tenants in both private and social housing until the end of March next year.
She said she did not have the power to freeze energy prices but was taking measures to give people security they needed through the winter.
The emergency legislation will also include a moratorium on evictions.
FM calls for more powers to be devolved
Ms Sturgeon calls for action to reform the energy market, action to freeze energy prices, more cash support for those struggling and increased funding for public services.
The powers to deal with the crisis do not lie with the Scottish Parliament, they are reserved to Westminster.
UK must be pulled back from the brink, says Sturgeon
Mitigation is nowhere near sufficient, continues the first minister.
"So it is essential today that I also address the wider context," she adds.
Action on a scale that is similar to the Covid response is required, Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber.
She says this action must tackle inflation and pull the UK back from the brink.