Nicola Sturgeon has announced her plans for the year to come in her programme of government including a freeze on rents and train fares.
The First Minister gave a lengthy speech focusing on what her government aims to achieve in the next 12 months, with a focus on the cost of living crisis.
Ms Sturgeon opened her speech by describing the current situation as the "most severe cost crisis of our lifetimes" and a "humanitarian emergency". She said it would 'almost certainly' push the UK economy into a recession and poses a threat to lives.
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She said the Scottish "budget today is worth a staggering £1.7 billion less than when it was published last December" due to rising inflation.
A series of measures are to be brought in by the Scottish Government to "mitigate the impact of a rapidly escalating crisis".
Here's everything Nicola Sturgeon said during her announcement.
Calls for more powers to be devolved
The First Minister called for action to reform the energy market, action to freeze energy prices, more cash support for those struggling, and increased funding for public services.
She outlined that the government doesn't have the powers to act in the manner or on the scale needed and called on the UK Government to increase the budgets of devolved governments or grant them greater powers to borrow.
Calls for a freeze on energy prices
Ms Sturgeon urged the UK Government to cancel the October rise in the energy cap and freeze prices at their current level. She said the move would deliver "immediate relief" for households and lower inflation.
She added: "This freeze must be applied to businesses and to the public and third sectors.
"This is essential to stop an avalanche of business bankruptcies and job losses, and to prevent essential services being squeezed by the cost of heating schools, hospitals and other public and community buildings."
Support for those struggling to pay bills
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that emergency legislation to freeze rents for tenants in private and social housing will be in place until the end of March next year. Evictions will also be postponed.
The Fuel Insecurity Fund, for people who may be at risk of self-rationing or even self-disconnection from their energy supply, will be doubled from £10 million to £20 million this year.
Local authorities will be given the flexibility to use Discretionary Housing Payments to help with energy costs as well as rent payments. Funding for Discretionary Housing Payments will be increased by £5 million.
Eligibility for the Tenant Grant Fund fund to be extended to provide help for those struggling to pay rent as a result of the wider cost of living crisis.
ScotRail fares to be frozen until March 2023
The First Minister said the government will use its devolved powers to bear down on the crisis and will freeze ScotRail fares until 'at least' March 2023.
Scottish Child Payment to increase
The Scottish Child Payment will increase to £25 per week per child up to the age of 6 from November 14. The Payment will also open on that date to applications for children up to age 16.
Two Best Start Grants – the Early Learning and School Age Payments - will be awarded automatically to families in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment without the need for a further application.
Two Child Payment bridging payments will also be made by the end of the year.
Ms Sturgeon said: "These extensions, to a strand of the social security safety net that is unique to Scotland, will make more than 400,000 children eligible for support of £1,300 per year.
"It will lift children out of poverty, enhance their life chances, and improve the lives of thousands of families across the country."
Free school meals to be extended
The Scottish Government will work with local authorities to extend universal free school meal provision to all pupils in primary 6 and 7.
End to under 18's being placed in young offenders' institutions
The Scottish Government will introduce a Children’s Care and Justice Bill "to ensure that young people who come into contact with the justice and care systems are treated more appropriately".
This includes ending the practice of placing children under 18 in young offenders’ institutions.
No compulsory redundancies in the public sector
Ms Sturgeon said: "Our policy of no compulsory redundancies in the public sector - which we continue to support notwithstanding the budgetary pressures we face - will give those delivering essential services the peace of mind of knowing their job is safe over this winter."
She added: "Where we can, we are prioritising interventions that will provide security, stability and reassurance, by safeguarding jobs and homes.
"We will put as much money as possible into people’s pockets through decent pay rises."
Work to end the poverty-related attainment gap
Ms Sturgeon said her government will 'design and test options to extend year-round childcare for school-age children' and introduce an Education Reform Bill to establish an independent education inspectorate and a new public body responsible for qualifications.
She also said work will start on a further 17 new schools in the year ahead.
£50 million to improve A&E waiting times
Nicola Sturgeon promised that waits of more than 18 months for outpatients will be eliminated in most specialties by the end of this year, and for inpatients by September next year.
She added: "We will then aim to eliminate waits of more than 1 year for outpatients by March next year; and for inpatients and day cases by September 2024.
"As part of work to reduce waiting times, the next 4 national treatment centres will open over the coming year, in Fife, Forth Valley, Highland and at the Golden Jubilee in Glasgow.
"We will also invest a further £10 million to improve waiting times for cancer diagnostics and treatments, and establish a further two Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.
A new Patient Safety Commissioner will be introduced to help improve safety and amplify the voice of patients.
Safe drug consumption facility to be opened in Glasgow
The First Minister said the government will invest £250 million by the end of parliament to reduce drug deaths. She added: "We will continue to work with partners with the aim - if, and as soon as, possible - of establishing a Safer Drug Consumption Facility in Glasgow."
Proposals to restrict alcohol promotions
A new Public Health Bill will be introduced putting restrictions on promotions of less healthy food and drink and will consult on proposals to restrict alcohol promotions.
Deposit return scheme for recycling
From August, the Scottish Government will launch the deposit return scheme to encourage the reuse and recycling of containers such as drinks bottles.
Criminal Justice Bill to help sexual offence victims
The new Criminal Justice Bill will provide for the abolition of the Not Proven verdict.
Ms Sturgeon added: "If approved by Parliament, this will be a change of truly historic significance in Scotland, and one firmly intended to improve access to justice for victims of crime."
This Bill will also deliver statutory protection of the anonymity of complainers in sexual offence cases.
The government also intend to introduce a Misogyny and Criminal Justice Bill later in the parliament
They will also introduce a Police Complaints and Misconduct Handling Bill to improve the way in which complaints about the police are managed and investigated, and a Legal Services Regulation Reform Bill to improve the accountability and transparency of the legal complaints system.
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