This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-13549172
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Salmond laying out SNP priorities | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| First Minister Alex Salmond is laying out his early plans for government in an address to the Scottish Parliament. | |
| Top priorities for the majority SNP government include laws to tackle football-related violence and minimum alcohol pricing. | Top priorities for the majority SNP government include laws to tackle football-related violence and minimum alcohol pricing. |
| Mr Salmond will also pledge a "social contract" with Scots, promising not to cut vital services in return for measures like public pay restraint. | |
| Opposition parties will scrutinise the plans during a Holyrood debate. | Opposition parties will scrutinise the plans during a Holyrood debate. |
| The Scottish government said its first piece of legislation would be plans to increase jail terms for sectarian-related disorder, with the hope of parliament passing new laws in the next few weeks. | The Scottish government said its first piece of legislation would be plans to increase jail terms for sectarian-related disorder, with the hope of parliament passing new laws in the next few weeks. |
| Ministers would also bring back plans to set a minimum price per unit of alcohol - proposals which were defeated in the last parliament when the SNP was in minority government. | Ministers would also bring back plans to set a minimum price per unit of alcohol - proposals which were defeated in the last parliament when the SNP was in minority government. |
| Mr Salmond also plans talk about the concept of a "social wage" - telling MSPs of the importance of public sector pay restraint in a tough financial climate. | Mr Salmond also plans talk about the concept of a "social wage" - telling MSPs of the importance of public sector pay restraint in a tough financial climate. |
| At the same time, he will say his government has committed to helping hard-pressed Scots by freezing the council tax over the course of the five-year parliament. | At the same time, he will say his government has committed to helping hard-pressed Scots by freezing the council tax over the course of the five-year parliament. |
| The government has also committed to keeping prescription charges and bridge tolls free, while maintaining free bus travel for the elderly and protecting NHS spending. | The government has also committed to keeping prescription charges and bridge tolls free, while maintaining free bus travel for the elderly and protecting NHS spending. |
| The first minister says the SNP administration has taken a "distinct" approach in Scotland in comparison, he argues, to a UK government cuts agenda. | The first minister says the SNP administration has taken a "distinct" approach in Scotland in comparison, he argues, to a UK government cuts agenda. |
| The Scottish government's detailed programme for government, including a list of planned bills, will come after the summer break. | The Scottish government's detailed programme for government, including a list of planned bills, will come after the summer break. |