These are the main points of the budget statement made by the Finance Minister, Andy Kerr.Investment in capital infrastructure to increase by almost 40% over the three years to more than �3bn, outstripping the target of five per cent per year �650m of annual efficiency savings by 2007-08, exceeding the target of �500m A 30% increase in spending in further and higher education by 2007-08 An average annual increase of 14% in the transport budget, allowing a start to be made on such public transport projects as rail links to Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, new rail routes, trams in Edinburgh as well as progress on completion of the central Scotland motorway network and construction of the Aberdeen bypass An increase in health spending by eight-and-a-half per cent per year to reduce waiting times and to continue to invest in health promotion Funding in full the commitment to increase the number of teachers to 53,000, allowing us to deliver on our lower class sizes commitment An increase in spending on justice by seven per cent each year, delivering record police numbers, modernised prison facilities and money to tackle reoffending An extra �100m to be spent by 2007-08 on affordable housing Investing in the environment with new targets to extend recycling and resources to support a new Green Jobs Strategy Net investment will increase from �2.3bn this year, to �2.7bn in 2005-6, �3bn in 2006-07 and �3.2bn in 2007-08 The commitment to increase non-domestic rates by no more than the rate of inflation will be continued
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