FINANCE secretary Kate Forbes is expected to meet her new Tory counterpart Donald Cameron in a bid to reach an agreement over the Budget ahead of a crucial vote in the Scottish Parliament.

The two sides are due to speak early next week to discuss a deal which would allow the Government’s crucial financial plans to pass.

Despite party political differences Forbes and Cameron are believed to have a good working relationship with both representing Highland communities and sharing an interest in Gaelic culture.

Speaking to ITV Border on Wednesday, Forbes said opposition parties had brought forward more ideas than in previous years.

She said: “I am optimistic, because I’ve got to get a deal through to get the budget through and provide that certainty.

“I’m happy to speak to any party. All the parties have been far more forthcoming with options this year, which makes a nice change.”

Pressed on whether there will be a specific deal done with the Tories, the Finance Secretary said: “The Tories have an interesting proposition, which is ‘cut tax, spend more’.

“It’s arithmetically impossible. But, if the Tories want to compromise, then we’re willing to speak to anybody.”

Some public services have railed against the draft Budget settlement, with Police Scotland and local council umbrella body Cosla lobbying for more in funding

The SNP minority government needs to get a majority decision on the Budget Bill at stage one, which is voted on next Thursday, and the final stage three, on March 5, for the bill to pass. Over recent years this has relied on the Greens voting with the Government in return for concessions.

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The coming days will probably confirm if the Greens will do another deal or whether the Government will get its bill through thanks to other parties, such as the Conservatives.

An agreement could be reached with the Tories, whose key demands include no income tax increases, an extra £50 million for police and no cuts to council budgets.

Forbes announced there would be no change in income tax rates, a marginal increase in the thresholds for the lower rates to help lower-paid workers and a freeze for the higher rate thresholds when she announced the Government’s plans earlier this month. It is understood if the two sides come to a deal the Conservatives would abstain in next Thursday’s stage one vote.

This would essentially be a political move allowing the rival parties to maintain the appearance that they are not working together – a move which would likely be unpopular among both their supporters.

Forbes stepped in at the last minute to unveil the Scottish Government’s Budget following Derek Mackay’s resignation.

The National:

Outlining the Government’s draft tax and spending plans, she warned opposition MSPs they would cause a meltdown in Scotland’s fledgling welfare system if they refused to back the proposals.

Forbes said it included an extra £3 billion because the Government becomes financially responsible for new devolved benefits from April, including Personal Independence Payments and Disability Living Allowance. However, if the Budget fell, spending would be capped at last year’s £35bn, throwing the system into disarray.

She warned it would also scupper plans to raise NHS funding by £1bn to £15bn and give £500m more to councils. The Finance Secretary said: “But worst of all, nearly £3bn of vital support will be denied to those who need it the most. Now is not the time for brinkmanship.”

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Forbes also announced long-term plans to protect the environment, including £1.8bn of investment in low-carbon infrastructure to reduce emissions, and more than £250m to restore peatland over the next 10 years. But the Scottish Green described the government’s plans as “timid, not transformative”.

Its co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “It lacks the necessary action on the climate emergency and is an abdication of responsibility. The finance minister must change tack.”

Harvie’s party later seized on comments mad by Forbes suggesting at least half of the £1.8bn would be spent on maintaining existing contracts, such as for train operators.

Their demands include more investment in public transport and an extension of free bus travel to young people. The Greens’ stance has suggested the Government may not get their backing this year, but yesterday hopes were raised after the SNP-led Glasgow City Council reached an agreement with the party over the local authority’s budget.

Green councillors backed the Budget after securing commitments on climate change and council reform including a new £10m Climate Emergency Action Fund to accelerate emissions reduction; work to identify a further £20m to invest in nature, green networks and food growing; and agreement to reform the council’s budget process . It also included an end to free city centre car parking and internal UK flights for councillors.

A Scottish Greens source said: “We hope this level of agreement may be replicated nationally.”

The freezing of the higher income tax threshold means someone earning £50,000 in Scotland will pay around £1500 more in income tax than their counterparts in England and Wales. However, around 56% of Scots taxpayers will pay less than their counterparts in rest of the UK, with those earning above £27,243 in Scotland paying more.

Forbes commented: “Scotland continues to have the fairest and most progressive tax system in the UK, with more than half of taxpayers paying less income tax in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK.”