THE Scottish Government's Budget is guaranteed to pass after the Greens announced they would be backing the SNP’s spending plans.
The SNP Government said it had also reached a deal with the Scottish LibDems – and Labour said they would be abstaining on the vote earlier this month.
The news comes despite the Greens and the LibDems previously positioning themselves behind opposite red lines.
The LibDems said they would not support a Budget which had even a “penny” for independence spending – while the Greens said they would not back one which cut spending on the issue.
The Greens said their support came after they secured “confirmation that the Scottish Government have agreed to the party’s proposals on record climate funding, the expansion of free school meals and trialling a £2 cap on bus fares”.
The @scottishgreens have secured changes to the budget which will: 🍽️ Give 1000s more pupils a free school meal 🚌 Launch a year-long regional trial of capping bus fares at £2 🌳 Put record £ into nature restoration Alongside changes already secured! We will vote for the budget pic.twitter.com/MoOaqGYlQc
— Ross Greer (@Ross_Greer) January 28, 2025
In a letter to Finance Secretary Shona Robison and Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee, Green MSP Ross Greer said: “Our discussions and the resultant improvements to Scotland’s Budget for 2025/26 demonstrate the value of collaboration, and I am grateful for the constructive approach you have taken throughout this process.
“We will of course continue to advocate for those Green policies which do not feature in this Budget agreement, but on the basis of the improvements secured, our parliamentary group will vote for the Budget.”
In a statement, the Scottish Government confirmed it had reached agreement with the Greens and the LibDems.
Robison said she will table amendments to the 2025-26 Budget Bill to allocate £16.7 million funding to:
- Bolster drug and alcohol services, including £1 million for specialist support for babies born addicted to drugs
- Begin a £2 bus fare cap pilot in one regional transport area
- Further strengthen support for hospices from £4 million to £5 million
- Increase Nature Restoration by £3 million to its highest ever level
- Invest in targeted support for the College sector and protect Corseford College
- Extend free school meal eligibility in S1-S3 in eight local authority areas for pupils in receipt of Scottish Child Payment
- Offer flexibility for Orkney Island Council in terms of capital and resource funding
The Finance Secretary said: “We are determined to deliver on the issues that matter most to the people of Scotland – and that is why this Budget invests in public services and in eradicating child poverty, acts in the face of the climate emergency, and supports jobs.
“The First Minister was clear that we would bring forward a Budget by Scotland for Scotland, and the negotiations we have taken forward have been in that spirit. These additional initiatives demonstrate the value of a progressive approach and dialogue.
“During every stage of this process the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have engaged in our discussions in a positive and constructive manner.
“Through seeking compromise I believe we are delivering a Budget that will strengthen services and support our communities. With the agreements with these two parties now in place this will secure a majority in parliament in support of the Budget Bill.”
The SNP Budget will see a winter fuel payment restored to Scottish pensioners from 2026 after the UK Government cut the benefit last year.
The Budget also contains funding to work towards scrapping the two-child benefit cap in Scotland from 2026, which the Labour Government have kept in place despite opposing it under the Conservatives.
The final Holyrood vote on the Budget Bill will take place next month but is now merely a formality.
