Scottish Parliament – Jan. 28, 2025 – 3

S6M-16237.4: As an amendment to motion S6M-16237 in the name of Neil Gray (Investing in Public Services Through the Scottish Budget), leave out from "notes the importance" to "sustainability" and insert "further calls on the UK Government to fully fund the increase in employer national insurance contributions in commissioned services and arm's-length external organisations;

notes the importance of the public service reform programme to drive future financial sustainability;

further notes the success of the four-day week pilot trialled by South of Scotland Enterprise, and calls on the Scottish Government to expand the four-day working week within the public sector workforce".    

Original motion(S6M-16237): That the Parliament welcomes the investment in Scotland’s public services through the draft Scottish Budget 2025-26;

notes that £21.7 billion for health and social care investment and over £15 billion in funding for local authorities is being provided;

calls on the UK Government to fully fund the additional cost of its increase in employer national insurance contributions, noting the significant impacts on public services, including social care, if it does not fund it in full;

notes the importance of the public service reform programme to drive future financial sustainability, and celebrates the key role that the Scottish public service workforce plays in delivering these services across Scotland.