Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget.
The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:
The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold
A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013
21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut
Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550
Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.
Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg used his speech to the Party's Spring conference in NewcastleGateshead to call for the forthcoming budget to be a "budget for fairness" and pledged that it would help working familes.
The Deputy Prime Minister pledged that by 2015 Britain would have seen an end to control orders, the first gay marriages and the first elections to the House of Lords.
Fairer taxes, promoting green jobs, protecting your civil liberties - these are just some of the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government.
We're building a freer, greener and more liberal country - and stopping some of the worst excesses of the Conservatives. Find out more in this infographic.
Jim Hume MSP, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, has hit out at the Scottish Government for breaking its promise to take Scotland's rail franchise into public ownership.
The Rail 2014 - Public Consultation report from Transport Scotland has revealed that this plan was never feasible.
For the first time in a Scottish Government document, there is an admission that constitutional uncertainty is making it difficult to plan for the long term.
Jim Hume, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for South Scotland and Rural Affairs spokesperson, has questioned the Scottish Government's approach to agri-environment schemes after answers to parliamentary questions revealed the funding for a successful scheme was cut despite demand still being high.
The Scottish Government has cut the agri-environment budget by 28.1% but has always maintained that any cuts would be "demand led."
Jim Hume MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs spokesperson, has once again called on the Scottish Government to publish what it believes the read rate will have to be to meet new rules governing sheep EID.
After months of saying that farmers and crofters will not have to be 100% compliant, the Government has yet to come forward with any firm facts on the issue.
Commenting as figures reveal that house prices in some areas of rural Scotland have doubled, Scottish Liberal Democrat Housing spokesperson Jim Hume MSP said:
"It is getting more and more difficult for first time buyers to get on the rural housing ladder. Rural areas need affordable housing like all other parts of the country, but these new figures could mean that people are being priced out of their local area.
Scottish Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs spokesperson Jim Hume urged the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead to support Scotland's farmers and reverse the damaging 19.3% cut in real terms to the Payments and Inspections Administration budget, outlined in the Scottish Government's spending review, during questions to the Cabinet Secretary today.
Commenting on the news that Borders Rail link will now be delivered by Network rail and Transport Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson and MSP for the South of Scotland Jim Hume said:
"After months and months of speculation, dodge and delay, the Transport Secretary has finally come clean on who will deliver the long awaited Borders Rail link.
In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."
