John Swinney faces FMQs after Scottish Government Budget announces council tax set to rise

John Swinney will face MSPs at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, following the announcement council tax is set to increase next year.

Finance secretary Shona Robinson outlined the Scottish Government’s Budget on Wednesday, which she said was “filled with hope for Scotland’s future”, amid an end to the two-child benefit cap.

However council tax will rise in 2025 after Robinson did not announce a continuation of the cap.

She added there is “no reason” for big increases in council tax from local authorities.

Robison announced a more than £1bn uplift for local authorities, but warned that levies should be kept low, after a council tax freeze in the last 12 months.

“While it will be for councils to make their own decisions with record funding, there is no reason for big increases in council tax next year,” she said.

The Budget also announced income tax rates in Scotland have been frozen until 2026 and free school meals will be extended to primaries 6 and 7 in Scotland for low-income families.

The Budget, the first since John Swinney took office, comes against a backdrop of dire public finances, somewhat alleviated by a £3.4bn increase in the next financial year caused by the UK Government’s spending decisions outlined in October.

The minority Scottish Government needs at least one other party to back the Budget for it to pass, but none has yet committed to supporting it.

Scottish Green finance spokesman Ross Greer said “significant further changes” will be needed before his party can vote the Budget through.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton welcomed measures such as funding for GPs, dentists and mental health.

But he said: “Let me be clear, this does not guarantee our support. As with all budgets, the devil will be in the detail and we will be looking closely at that.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy said the Budget failed to fix 17 years of “economic mismanagement” under the SNP.

While Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said the Budget contains “no reform, no vision, no plan”, declaring “Scotland is going in the wrong direction because of the SNP”.