Greenock and Inverclyde MSP, Stuart McMillan, has welcomed today’s Scottish Budget 2025/26 announcement – which delivers on the four priorities set out in the Programme for Government: eradicating child poverty; growing the economy; tackling the climate emergency and protecting public services.
Some of the headline announcements include:
- £768m for affordable homes, enabling over 8,000 new properties for social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost home ownership to be built or acquired;
- £120m for headteachers to support initiatives designed to address the poverty-related attainment gap;
- A record £21bn for health and social care;
- At least £1bn increase in local authority funding, taking their total funding to over £15bn, including £289m to give real terms protection to the General Revenue Grant;
- £29m investment for an ASN plan, delivering measures like training so that more teachers can become ASN teachers, and
- Tripling investment in offshore wind to £150m pounds next year.
Commenting, the local SNP MSP said:
“Whilst the funding announced at the UK Autumn Budget was a step in the right direction, it was only small progress in the face of the ongoing cost pressures faced by the Scottish Government.
“This is because the 2025‑26 block grant settlement only represents an increase of around 1% in real terms against the latest 2024‑25 allocation.
“Therefore, despite continued and unprecedented challenges to public finances, this is a Budget for progress – and one that can bring some hope.
“The record investment of £21bn in health and social care will benefit people across Inverclyde, particularly as we have an older, and growing older, population.
“This figure includes almost £200m to reduce waiting times and help reduce delays in discharge from hospital.
“This will help deliver a range of initiatives, including supporting a frailty unit linked to every A&E department to support community re‑enablement, and expanding the hospital and home programme to meet 20% of Scotland’s NHS bed base by December 2026.
“Importantly, these recovery interventions aim to reduce waiting times to ensure that no one is waiting longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment or inpatient or daycare treatment by March 2026.
“There are also additional capital monies available for health and social care, so I’ll be writing to the Finance Secretary and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding a new Port Glasgow Health Centre. This is vitally important to ensure people in Port Glasgow and beyond continue to receive the best care possible and offer a better working environment for staff.
“Ultimately, when it comes to delivering high quality public services, local government is critical. This Budget recognises that and has subsequently provided local authorities with a package of funding reaching over £15 billion in 2025‑26.
“The total Local Government settlement sets out that Local Government funding has increased by over £1bn from 2024-25 to 2025-26.
“This includes a £289m increase in the General Revenue Grant to deliver real terms protection, but also gives increased funding for Additional Support for Learning, free school meals, and the school workforce among other measures.
“The core local government capital grant will also be increased to £556 million. “This Budget delivers for Scotland, but it can only succeed with the support of the Scottish Parliament, to enable a brighter future, and the investment that Scotland deserves.”
