One of the biggest challenges the SNP government faces is in replacing council tax with local income tax. The first step is to freeze council tax, while compensating local authorities for the gap that will leave in their budgets. Ministers say this will not be done by capping, but by agreement. The details of the replacement levy on earnings will be subject to consultation.
Ministers want to legislate for reform of the government agencies that support the arts, bringing the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen into the new Creative Scotland organisation. That part of the Creative Scotland Bill is in line with the previous executive's plans, but it has removed ministerial powers to interfere in the new quango's decisions, and other parts of the previous draft plans have been axed.
The SNP is also taking on an existing proposal for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Bill, confident the city will stage them in 2014. That will protect sponsors against rivals' intrusion and tackle ticket touts. And the boost to sport and exercise is seen by Alex Salmond as part of the drive to confront the "national scandal" of the city's poor health, pointing out life expectancy in some areas is below war-torn Iraq.
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