Scotland's 2016/17 draft budget to be published on 16 December

John Swinney says his draft budget will be "bold and ambitious"

Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney will detail his 2016/17 spending plans on 16 December, two days before MSPs break up for Christmas.

The draft budget is normally published at Holyrood in September.

However, the date was put back until after the UK government's spending review, due on 25 November.

Mr Swinney said he wanted "as much time as possible" to develop proposals for "a bold, ambitious budget for the future".

The deputy first minister added: "I am determined that measures brought forward in my budget will demonstrate the Scottish government's commitment to do everything within our power and means to protect the most vulnerable from the UK government's austerity approach.

"We have been clear as a government that we will tackle inequality through economic growth, and my budget will advance that vision."

'Loss of confidence'

Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his spending plans to MPs at Westminster in two weeks' time.

He is expected to focus on departmental savings.

Mr Osborne warned that if the government did not control spending and reduced levels of national debt there was a risk of loss of confidence in the economy.

In a speech in London he said: "I know some ask: why do we need this surplus? I'll tell you why: to protect working people."