Changing Priorities
Finance Secretary John Swinney looks set to reveal plans to move routine spending to capital investment when he announces his spending priorities for the year to MSPs later this week.
The rationale for this move comes in the form of protection of jobs and increased economic growth. Already the proposal has seen opinions divided. The change would restrict revenue spending, which could impact in areas such as health and education, but is arguably necessary in terms of stimulating the economy.
The decision in terms of which types of projects benefit from extra funding will impact on the success or failure of the strategy. Experts have suggested that transport and broadband infrastructure may be the key areas where greater investment should be targeted.