John Swinney is set to face questions hours after dire council finance warnings and a spate of youth knife incidents in recent weeks.
The First Minister will take on Scottish opposition leaders just hours after the Accounts Commission warned that Scotland’s councils are facing a £1bn gap over the next two years.
The watchdog said Scotland’s councils are facing a budget gap of £647m over the next year alone due to rising costs, inflation and social care demands. That’s a £52m increase in a single year.
The warning has come despite councils receiving £15.2bn from the Scottish Government in the budget for 2025-26 – with the amount of cash rising by 6% in real-terms.
Swinney could be challenged to explain why councils are suffering so much – especially on the health and social care front where his government has previously been criticised by opposition leaders for overseeing years of decline.
The First Minister could also be questioned over justice and safety issues after a spate of youth stabbing incidents.
Two teenagers have died and eleven have been injured during a spate of knife incidents involving youths over the last two months.
On March 5, 15-year-old Amen Teklay was found with serious wounds believed to have been inflicted with a blade on Glasgow’s Clarendon Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services.
Just over ten weeks after the incident, Kayden Moy was found seriously injured on Irvine beach on Saturday after an alleged stabbing. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital where he died the next day.
In the period between the two fatal attacks, STV News has reported on 12 alleged knife incidents involving youths, with 16 teenagers arrested and/or charged.
Opposition leaders could take the opportunity to question Swinney’s leadership on justice and safety across the country.
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