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At-a-glance: Scotland's programme for government

PA Media Nicola SturgeonPA Media

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been setting out her government's plans for the year to come, with a focus on the cost of living crisis.

She told MSPs it was "humanitarian emergency" that was pushing millions into poverty and threatening the viability of businesses.

She announced a series of measures including:

  • A moratorium on evictions from rented accommodation - both private and social - this winter
  • A rent freeze for both social and private tenants until the end of March next year
  • An increase in the Scottish Child Payment from £20 a week to £25 from 14 November
  • Free school meals to be extended to include pupils in primaries six and seven
  • Fares on ScotRail, which was brought into public ownership earlier this year, will be frozen until at least March 2023

The Scottish government has said it intends to introduce a total of 18 bills over the course of the parliamentary year. They are:

Annual Budget (No.2): to provide parliamentary approval for the Scottish government's spending plans.

Bankruptcy and Diligence: to introduce improvements to insolvency and debt recovery processes.

Charities Regulation: to update and strengthen the legal framework governing the work of charities.

Children's Care and Justice: to improve experiences for children in Scotland who interact with the children's hearing and criminal justice systems, as well as care settings.

Circular Economy: to increase reuse and recycling rates.

Criminal Justice: will abolish the not proven verdict in criminal trials in Scotland. It will also include a range of measures including protecting the anonymity of complainers of sexual crimes under Scots law.

Education Reform: the establishment of a new public body responsible for qualifications in Scotland and the creation of an independent education inspectorate.

Housing: to protect tenants by freezing rents and imposing a moratorium on evictions until at least 31 March 2023.

Housing: a second bill will deliver a New Deal for Tenants.

Independence Referendum: If the UK Supreme Court determines that a referendum is within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, the bill will provide for a referendum to be held on Scottish independence.

Legal Services Regulation Reform: to improve the accountability and transparency of the legal complaints system.

Local Visitor Levy: to give local authorities a discretionary power to apply a levy on overnight visitor stays.

Patient Safety Commissioner: to establish a champion to be the voice of the patient within healthcare.

Police Complaints and Misconduct Handling: to improve the way complaints about the police are managed and investigated.

Public Health (Restriction of Promotions): provisions for restricting food and drink promotions to protect public health.

Scottish Aggregates Levy: a devolved tax on the commercial exploitation of aggregates in Scotland.

Trusts and Succession: reform of the laws on trusts.

Wildlife Management (Grouse): to introduce licensing for grouse moor management.

In her statement, Ms Sturgeon said the government would take forward a range of actions to improve women's access to healthcare, and would appoint a women's health champion.

She also said that the government would support Green MSP Gillian Mackay with her proposed Member's Bill to protect safe access for women to healthcare facilities that provide abortion services.

Plans have already been announced to eliminate of waits of more than 18 months for hospital outpatients in most specialties by the end of this year, and for inpatients by September next year. The aim is then to eliminate waits of more than a year.

It is also planned to introduce a Misogyny and Criminal Justice Bill later in the parliament. A consultation will take place on the recommendations in Helena Kennedy's report on tackling misogynistic behaviour.