NO MATTER how challenging the economic circumstances might become, the SNP believes that the Scottish Government has a duty to protect the people of Scotland and provide them with equality of opportunity.

Social justice is the concrete foundation on which we build our society – it is the right of each and every citizen, regardless of their background, to free healthcare at the point of use, to a free education, to decent and affordable housing and to protection, safety and security.

Today we most certainly face challenging economic times, and it won’t let up anytime soon, as the Tory government at Westminster continues to foist austerity on us against our will.

However, Finance Secretary and Deputy First Minister John Swinney’s Draft Budget statement for the 2016/17 period last week made it clear that the Scottish Government’s commitment to the social justice is resolute, despite these challenges.

Spending on the NHS is set to increase by 6.5%, with an extra £50million going to mental health care and another £25million investment in primary care, bringing health spending to a record £13billion.

Policing budgets are to be protected, with further investment to maintain our record police numbers.

Higher education will remain free, college budgets protected and entitlement to the Educational Maintenance Allowance, the same EMA which has been abolished in England, will be expanded.

While on target to meet our commitment to build 30,000 affordable homes over this parliamentary term, we have promised, if re-elected, to build another 50,000 over the next term – which we are backing up with an extra £90million.

I have always maintained that government is about priorities and, in these difficult times, our government is prioritising and protecting the most vital of services.

Where tax powers are in our hands, we will use them progressively – we maintain that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heaviest load.

This can already be seen in our replacement of the UK Stamp Duty Land Tax with the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), which is far more proportionate to the value of property.

One tax power which has been the subject of much discussion, and much misinformation, is over income tax.

Last week John Swinney announced that we will not be changing the rate of income tax.

He explained that this is because it would not be possible to do so progressively – under the powers which are to be devolved in 2016 any increase in the higher or top rate of income tax must be matched by the same increase in the basic rate of income tax.

Basically, if we want to one CEO to pay more in income tax, we have to consign all 50 of his employees on £18,000 a year to tax increases too.

This is simply unfair and would disproportionately affect those on the lowest incomes.

Throughout the entire budget statement it was noticeable that Labour, the “official opposition”, were unable to come up with a single viable, costed idea about how they would do things differently.

While the Labour party carp at the side lines, the Scottish Government will continue to ensure we create a more equal, more prosperous, fairer society for all.