Hyslop votes for an extra £5 million for West Lothian Council
Labour Opposition fail to support investment in West Lothian
Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, has voted in favour of the Scottish Government’s landmark budget which will ensure that communities across West Lothian will benefit from even greater financial support than originally planned with an additional £5.269 million in capital and resource funding. West Lothian will also receive investment of £1.3 billion for NHS Lothian and the commitment to build an elective care centre at St John’s Hospital.
Fiona said;
“With capital and resource additional funding of over £5 million for West Lothian it is clear to see that this Scottish Government is delivering for the people of West Lothian. Spending commitments in the NHS, education, infrastructure, environment and the economy shows that this Government are the only ones standing up for local communities. This budget importantly funds the Living Wage for social care workers who support the most vulnerable in our community.
“West Lothian will also receive a share of the overall increase of £22.8 million to Police Scotland’s budget ensuring that our communities are safer and stronger.
“I am disappointed that Labour opposition MSPs decided to vote against the best interests of our communities and standing up for those who need it most.
“West Lothian itself will benefit from a range of direct spending commitments, including £1.3 billion for NHS Lothian and a share of £1 billion investment into mental health services.
“Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems should think again before choosing to rob West Lothian of these vital services in a narrow-minded campaign designed to achieve nothing more than embarrassing the SNP Scottish Government. This budget is too important for our communities to allow that to happen.”
ENDS
Notes:
The Scottish Government’s Draft Budget commits to spending in West Lothian, including:
West Lothian
- £1.3bn for NHS Lothian
Scotland wide
- Rural broadband funding (£100m in digital and mobile infrastructure)
- Affordable housing (over £470m of direct capital investment)
- Energy Efficiency (£140m)
- Innovation and Investment Hubs in London, Dublin, Brussels and Berlin
- Regeneration Capital fund (£25m)
- Scottish Growth Scheme (£500m)
- Capital Stimulus Package (£100m) – which has helped deliver future for the Clydebridge and Dalzell steel plans and the aluminium smelter and hydro sites in Lochaber.
- Childcare expansion (£60m)
- Direct funding to schools, to help with Attainment Scotland Fund, incl free school meals (£120m)
- Universities investment (£1.6bn)
- Additional resource funding for the NHS (£300m)
- Transfer of resource from health to social care (£357m)
- Integration Authorities (£8bn)
- Mental Health (£1bn)
- Primary Care and GP improvements (£72m)
- Living Wage for social care workers (£107m)
- Police Scotland reforms (£36m)
- Bedroom tax mitigation (£47m)
- Golden Jubilee expansion (£200m)
- Cancer strategy (£100m)
- Additional nurses and midwives (£3m)
- IVF expansion (£2m)
- Type-1 diabetes support (£2m)
- Blood infection support (£20m over 3 years)
- In Care Survivor Support Fund (£13.5m over the next 5 years)
- Nursing discretionary fund (£1m)
- Capital funding for school improvements (£19m)
- New postgraduate support package of guaranteed £10,000 loan
- Double the number of people working for Scottish Development International across Europe
- Scottish employment service delivery (£20m)
- Fair Food Fund (£1m)
- Maintain pupil to teacher ratio (£88m)
- Regeneration of disadvantaged communities (£55m)
- Empowering Communities Fund (£20m)
- Funds the Scottish Housing Regulator that safeguards interests of tenants of social landlords, homeless, home owners and gypsy/traveller families
- Take forward Gender Balance on Public Boards Bill
- Invest in infrastructure to accelerate adoption of ultra-low emission vehicles
- Active travel funding (£39m)
- Increased international development fund (£10m)
- Humanitarian Aid fund (£1m)