The minority ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) faced huge opposition from Labour, but curbs on public sector pay and adding the boiler scrapage scheme forced it thorough last night (3 February).

As well as investing in the boiler scrappage scheme the budget also announced funding to improve home insulation.

The area-based, universal access £10m home insulation scheme will help insulate around 90,000 homes, while £2m will be spent on a boiler scrappage scheme

SNP finance secretary, John Swinney, said: “This is a budget that prioritises the areas of expenditure that matter most, in the face of cuts this year, and prepares us for the challenges that lie ahead.

“With additional funding for training and educational places, support for measures to tackle climate change and fuel poverty, this government has listened to the views of Parliament.

“We have faced the tough decisions and have set out proposals to help Scotland through the difficult times within the fixed budget we have.”

WWF Scotland’s senior policy officer, Elizabeth Leightonm said: “This budget is a big step in the right direction.

“However, we believe around £270 million is required to help the government meet two of its key targets – reducing carbon emissions by 42% by 2020 and to eradicate fuel poverty by 2016.

“More cash for the home insulation scheme would help meet these goals as well as generate a market for green jobs – but what is on the table falls well short of this.”

Luke Walsh

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