Scottish First Minister unveils legislative agenda for 2023-24

Scotland’s Programme for Government 2023-24 has been published which sets out the legislative agenda for the Scottish Government for the coming year in parliament. This year’s allocation of approximately £3bn will be focused on reducing poverty, protecting households and delivering high quality public services as well as giving attention to climate change.

The First Minister said: “While progressive tax and spending decisions will of course play a part in our response to the financial challenges we face, we are also committed to growing the economy for a purpose – to help deliver these missions and change Scotland for the better”.

Among the 14 new bills due to be introduced are:

• Scottish Aggregates Tax – which will set out the key arrangements for a devolved tax on the commercial exploitation of aggregates in Scotland
• Social Security (Amendment) – to enhance the Scottish system of social security in line with the Scottish Social Security Principles
• Land Reform – to improve transparency of land ownership and help ensure large-scale landholdings are delivering in the public interest
• Budget (No. 3) – to provide parliamentary approval for the Scottish government’s spending plans and allocate resources to strategic objectives

On poverty and housing, the First Minister has promised to invest £400m in the Scottish Child Payment, increase funding Scottish social security payments by £1bn, enable councils to apply up to a 100% premium on council tax on second homes and introduce a cladding remediation bill, which would include provisions to mirror the building safety levy introduced in England.

Yousaf has emphasised that by supporting businesses and building a wellbeing economy, Scotland can “unleash entrepreneurial talent” and encourage new investment which supports deliver targeted measures to get families and communities out of poverty. Therefore, on business, he has pledged to:

• Discuss with the UK Government the potential for using tax incentives to support investment in key sectors
• Consider improvements to non-domestic rates system through the New Deal for Business, and with Local Government
• Implement recommendations of the New Deal for Business Group
• Invest £15m in a plan to support innovation and entrepreneurship and support the Logan Review

“I have committed to using my first Budget to expand access to high quality, funded childcare” said Yousaf who is planning to expand the national childcare offer for families with two-year olds.

The Programme for Government also highlights the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill which was introduced in May 2023. If passes, the bill will provide local authorities the power to implement a levy on stays in overnight accommodation based on a percentage of the accommodation cost.

Responding, the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, said that “this package isn’t good enough, it isn’t bold enough and it won’t do enough to confront those [cost of living and health service] challenges”.

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, branded the First Minister a “poor Nicola Sturgeon tribute act”, adding: “Yousaf could have come to Parliament and offered Scotland a fresh approach by focusing on the big challenges we all face, not the political obsessions of the SNP”.