THE Alba Party have said the introduction of universal free school meals will be part of their terms for supporting the Scottish Budget.
The party’s sole MSP and Holyrood leader Ash Regan has intimated she is ready “to help the Scottish Government get to the finishing line” and pass its Budget if it is prepared to agree to certain requests.
As a minority government, the SNP need support of opposition MSPs to get their Budget over the line, or at least some abstentions.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will set out her tax and spending proposals in a speech on Wednesday, December 4.
Regan said she wants the Scottish Government to step in to mitigate Westminster’s cut to the Winter Fuel Payment and fund universal provision of free school meals.
Regan said: “While I appreciate the Government's constructive, collegiate approach to Budget discussions, it's important to acknowledge that past Green influence on SNP policy has diverted attention from Scotland's real priorities, impacting public confidence in the Government.
“I have offered the Government reasonable solutions to focus on protecting Scotland's vulnerable pensioners this winter and ensuring that every primary school child in Scotland can access healthy school lunches as previously promised.”
The Scottish LibDems have made it clear they will vote down the Budget if it contains any spending on independence.
Speaking to the BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the public had sent the SNP a "clear message" in the recent General Election that they are "done with the constitution".
Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens have said they will only back the Budget if no cuts to independence spending are made.
Following the breakdown of the Bute House Agreement with the Greens earlier this year, the SNP have angered the party further since by moving away from policies they each agreed on such as the pilot to end peak rail fares.
Green MSP Ross Greer said earlier this month: “We would be deeply concerned if a pro-independence government axes entirely the already incredibly modest sum spent on independence preparations.
“If the SNP make that choice, Green MSPs would find it impossible to support their Budget.”
The Greens have also urged the SNP Government to “stretch devolution,” hinting at further use of tax powers, while they have insisted bus fares should be capped at £2.
The UK Government has said it will give the Scottish Government an additional £300 million to cover the planned increase to employers’ National Insurance contributions.
From April next year, the rate of employers’ National Insurance contributions will rise by 1.2%, from 13.8% to 15%.
However, Robison has suggested £300m is "simply not good enough," adding that more than £500m would be needed to cover the staff costs of those directly employed by in the public sector, rising to £750m when indirect employees such as those in childcare, colleges or social care are included.
