Today I want to talk about tax. It's not always the most exciting or the most popular of subjects - but as we head towards May’s Scottish Parliament election, it’s a very important one.

That's because the next Scottish Government will have significant new tax powers - and how we decide to use them will affect all of us.

In fact, May's election will really be the first in which we properly debate how we raise some of the money for public services in Scotland - and not just how we spend it.

As someone who firmly believes that all decisions affecting Scotland should be taken in Scotland, I think that's a step in the right direction.

And with the tax powers which are already devolved or are about to be devolved, I think we've been able to make better taxation decisions, more suited to Scotland's particular circumstances.

Take Stamp Duty, which was devolved to the Scottish Parliament last year. At the first opportunity we scrapped it and replaced it with a new, more progressive, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.

With LBTT, nobody pays any tax on the first £145,000 of any house purchase. This has provided a boost to first-time buyers just when the market needed it, making it much more affordable to buy homes at the lower end of the market.

Then there's local taxation. Earlier this month I announced significant reforms to the council tax to make it much fairer – with people in higher value households paying more, but those on lower incomes protected and some of the lowest income families with children paying a bit less.

Importantly, these changes will raise an additional £100 million that will be invested every single year in schools in deprived areas across Scotland.

We're also working to make our business taxes fairer. When we took office, we created the Small Business Bonus Scheme – which has seen 100,000 small businesses pay no or reduced business rates. Since 2008, they've saved £1bn – helping them through the recession and protecting jobs.

Last week I confirmed that we would maintain this support right through the next Parliament.

And we’ve announced proposals to reform Air Passenger Duty, which is being devolved to Holyrood.

Currently, it’s one of the highest taxes of its kind in the world - that certainly doesn't suit a relatively remote country like Scotland.

So we propose to halve APD in Scotland – and ultimately abolish it – cutting the cost of flights to boost Scotland’s international connectivity with more direct routes, supporting the tourism industry, creating jobs and boosting the economy.

In all of these cases, we’re taking decisions designed to make Scotland fairer and more prosperous.

And today, when I announce our plans on income tax – we’ll be following that same philosophy.

On income tax, it’s already clear there are big dividing lines between the parties.

George Osborne's announcement last week of big income tax cuts for higher earners is not a choice that I think we should be making in Scotland.

We know that times are tough for families the length and breadth of Scotland, but when we’re facing yet more austerity, and when our public services are being put under more pressure from Tory cuts, we should not be offering large tax cuts for the 10% of the population who earn the highest salaries.

I must say, I was quite surprised to hear Labour’s Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell say that he supported the Tory position.

Meanwhile, Labour in Scotland wants to hike the basic rate of income tax - meaning that everyone in Scotland earning as little as £11,000 a year would have to pay more.

In both cases, Labour and the Tories effectively want those on lower incomes to bear the brunt of Tory austerity. I just think that’s wrong.

So what I’ll be announcing today is fair – fair to all taxpayers, fair to our economy and also fair for public services.

The SNP won't be raising the basic rate of income tax - not next year, and not at all in the next Parliament.

But we won't be giving big tax cuts to the better-off either.

Instead, we’ll make reasonable, balanced proposals.

At the election in May, I would ask you to back the SNP as the only party which will ensure both fairer taxes for all and proper funding for our NHS and our schools.