I have just a few points to make. First, it is wrong to say that the budget is anything other than a real-terms growth budget for local government. With the inclusion of the amendments’ provisions, the total spending power for local government will be up by £620 million in the financial year 2019-20. That is an increase and, as I said, there is a real-terms increase in resource and capital.
On the important issue of poverty, reference was made to the budget lines that target poverty, but we have to look at how all interventions support increasing equality. The interventions include the Scottish welfare fund, fair start Scotland, the empowering communities fund, the fair food fund, digital skills training, the education maintenance allowance, affordable homes, childcare, the carers allowance, concessionary fares, the bus service operators grant, home energy efficiency programmes, the carers allowance supplement, the baby box and free sanitary products. Those are just some examples of what the budget provides to target poverty and inequality.
The stage 2 amendments will deliver a £94 million increase—£90 million to local government and £4 million to the NHS—on the figures that I announced in the December budget presentation. However, Parliament had a choice with regard to revenue raising. The Labour Party asked me to increase the higher rate and top rate of income tax, but it did not supply me with a costed proposition. With an increase in the top rate, we would have lost money, so we would have had to increase the higher rate by about 6 percentage points.
The Greens asked me to raise income tax and non-domestic rates. I have not done so; instead I have found an alternative way to meet the necessary budget requests of the Greens and have made concessions in that regard. The Conservative Party asked me to cut tax for the highest earners in society. I think that I have got the balance right with regard to revenue raising and spending commitments in order to stimulate our economy and provide stability and sustainability for our public services.
I think that, in the face of adversity, austerity and Brexit chaos, the budget is very strong and is good for Scotland, and the amendments will strengthen it further. Therefore, I ask the committee to support the amendments.
Amendment 1 agreed to.
Amendments 2 and 3 moved—[Derek Mackay]—and agreed to.
Schedule 1, as amended, agreed to.
Section 2 agreed to.
Schedule 2 agreed to.
Section 3 agreed to.
Schedule 3 agreed to.
Section 4—Overall cash authorisations
Amendment 4 moved—[Derek Mackay]—and agreed to.
Section 4, as amended, agreed to.
Sections 5 to 11 agreed to.
Long title agreed to.