He promised to strengthen the social contract with the people of Scotland and pledged to do everything possible to shield families from the welfare cuts and austerity policies of the UK Government.
Swinney commented: “Within the powers available to us, we will choose a different path. A path which sees the Scottish Government commit substantial resources to protect the most vulnerable people of Scotland from the impact of decisions and policies made by the UK Government. We choose to stand firmly behind the Scottish people, investing in our public services and doing everything possible to ensure that no one is left behind.”
Swinney announced a further £22 million will be invested in holiday food provision and expanding support for school-age childcare. He also revealed a £46 million increase in resource funding to universities and colleges to ensure a highly qualified and highly skilled workforce for Scotland.