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The Scottish Executive: Draft Budget 2004-05 Summary

Introduction

This document sets out the Executive's spending plans for 2004-05. The figures given here reflect the resources which were allocated to different portfolios as a result of the 2002 Spending Review, and which were subsequently revised to take account of the commitments set out in "Partnership for a Better Scotland", which was published in May 2003.

The general strategy for the Scottish Executive's Budget was set out in "Building a Better Scotland", published on 12 September 2002. As well as setting out the priorities for each budget area, the document emphasised the Executive's commitment to cross-cutting issues such as closing the opportunity gap, sustainable development and equality.

The Partnership Agreement reaffirmed the Executive's commitment to opportunity, equality and sustainability. It also stressed that a successful economy is vital to our hopes for achieving prosperity, social justice and first class public services. For this reason, the Partnership Agreement made it clear that growing the economy is the Executive's top priority.

Spending plans

The tables below set out in detail our spending plans for 2003-06. The following chapters then set out in more detail what our allocations mean - showing portfolio by portfolio what we will be investing in and what we will deliver in return. In the "new resources" section, where spending is described as increasing by 0/10/20 million, this means that spending will not increase - in comparison to our previously published allocations - in 2003-04, and will then increase by 10 million in 2004-05, and by 20 million in 2005-06. If our previous plans indicated that we would spend 100m/110m/120m in 2003-06, therefore, and spending is shown as increasing by 0/10/20 million, then expenditure in 2003-06 will be 100m/120m/140m. All spending figures are given in cash terms unless otherwise stated.

Tables 0.01 and 0.02 below set out the Scottish Executive's spending plans until 2006. The figures represent the Total Managed Expenditure (TME) of the Scottish Executive. Table 0.02, the "real terms" table, presents our expenditure plans at 2003-04 prices. In order to calculate expenditure in 2004-05 and 2005-06 at 2003-04 prices, we have assumed inflation of 2.5% for the next two years.

Further information

This document summarises the information given in the Draft Budget, Detail Document. A copy of the full document is available on the Executive's website at www.scotland.gov.uk or from Finance Co-ordination, Scottish Executive, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ.

Table 0.01 Total Managed Expenditure by portfolio

¹ The reserve in 2004-05 and 2005-06 includes 15/20m which will be allocated across the Executive for tackling anti-social behaviour. The full details of this allocation have yet to be decided.

Table 0.02 Total Managed Expenditure by portfolio in real terms (in prices for 2003-04)

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