The SNP Government's Finance Secretary John Swinney has proposed several cuts, including cuts to education, in response to the UK Government's £1bn reduction in funding for Scotland. Public sector workers earning £21,000 or more per year will have their pay frozen, and the Secretary said this 'sets a framework' for discussions on pay with teachers in the months to come.

Education Minister Mike Russell provided further detail about the education budget from now to 2012. He assured MSPs that the Scottish Government sees a good education as vital for delivering economic recovery and long-term growth, but the education budget will still be cut, decreasing from £2.715bn in 2010-11 to £2.481bn in 2011-12. The Government will be focussing funding on early years of children's lives, by keeping smaller class sizes in primary schools for example, but this also means large cuts in other areas.

Whilst the Minister was able to guarantee that no reductions would be made in existing student living costs in 2011-12, and promise that 'core' college and university places would be maintained, significant cuts were also announced. Key funding reductions will be made to:

• Capital funding for colleges and universities, which will be cut from £209m to £91m.

• The Further and Higher Education Funding Council's budget, which will be cut from £1.7bn to £1.5bn.

• Spending on 'other lifelong learning', which will fall from £277m to £244m.

• Local authorities, who are key service providers to many schools and colleges, which will face cuts of at least 2.6 per cent.

The budget has prompted a concerned response from the University and Colleges Union, and the Labour Party is hinting that it will not allow the budget to get through Parliament; accusing the SNP of producing a one year election budget, rather than a responsible three year budget.

If you would like to read more about the UK Comprehensive Spending Review, which has set the budget for the Scottish Government, or if you would like any practical or emotional support to help you through these proposed changes, please read our tailored factsheet here.