On Friday the Scottish Government published its Budget Bill for 2009-10.

Finance Secretary John Swinney said the budget will help the country weather the economic storm, protect jobs and boost prospects for a strong recovery.

He said the spending plans support the Government's six point economic recovery programme.

The Budget Bill sets out further details on a substantial programme of accelerated infrastructure investment across Scotland for next year, totalling more than £230m, which will be delivered in partnership with local government.

Mr Swinney said that the projects brought forward are a "strong economic stimulus that will boost investment, support jobs - nearly 4,700 in total - and keep the Scottish economy moving."

The budget also reflects the Government's decision, taken within its first days in office, to put sustainable economic growth at the heart of everything it does.

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The Budget Bill means tens of thousands of small businesses will pay no business rates at all from April, while the Government has also put in place the resources to allow the council tax to be frozen for a second year.

Key points on accelerated spending include:

• Scottish Enterprise to accelerate investment of £30m on strategic infrastructure projects. Although precise details are yet to be finalised, supported projects are likely to include the SECC Arena in Glasgow; additional work on the Fife Energy Park; and infrastructure works on the Edinburgh Bio-Quarter.
• Road projects including £4m for improvements and dualling the A75 from Cairntop to Barlae and previously announced projects such as the Fochabers bypass and on work on the A9 at Moy, Carrbridge and Bankfoot.
• In conjunction with SPT, accelerating the delivery of strategic Park & Ride projects between Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire and Glasgow
• £50m brought forward for the NHS to ensure vital capital projects go ahead despite the current slowdown in sales of surplus NHS land and property, including new Dental Centres in Cumnock, Ayr, Campbeltown and Inverness and the new Foresterhill Health Centre in Aberdeen
• As previously announced, local authorities are contributing to the overall effort by accelerating a number of their capital spending programmes. Discussions are ongoing with COSLA on this and further details will be confirmed in due course.

(GK/JM)