The SNP Government and the Scottish Greens have agreed a “groundbreaking” deal for the next five years.

A draft policy programme – the Bute House Agreement – has been agreed, and will bring forward plans to legislate for a second independence referendum and lead to two Green MSPs becoming government ministers.

The pro-independent parties will work to prioritise a green economic recovery from the pandemic, respond to the climate crisis and "create a fairer country".

However, there are several issues explicitly excluded from the deal.

READ MORE: Read the SNP and Greens draft co-operation deal in full

As it notes, “the Scottish Government and the Green Group agree that a number of matters are excluded from the scope of this agreement, including matters on which they agree to differ.”

This includes matters around private schools, aviation policy and approaches to international relations.

The six issues excluded from SNP-Greens deal

As written in the draft agreement: 

  • While we share an ambition that Scotland should be a wellbeing economy that measures its success by reference to environmental and social objectives as well as economic objectives, the role of Gross Domestic Product measurements, and economic principles related to concepts of sustainable growth and inclusive growth, are excluded from this agreement.

 

  • Recognising that an agreement to collaborate and cooperation on budgets and matters of supply does not prevent us from having different visions for the longterm future of Scotland’s economy and on support for certain sectors, aviation policy (except in respect of island aviation connectivity and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited), the future of green ports, and direct financial support to businesses involved in the aerospace, defence and security sectors are excluded from this agreement.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon confirms SNP has struck Holyrood agreement with Greens

  • Recognising that while we share the ambition that Scotland should be a good global citizen, contributing constructively on global challenges, and that we both support an expansion of Scotland’s presence on the international stage, our approaches to international relations are not aligned, international relations are excluded from this agreement, except to the extent they are addressed in the shared programme. And while we both believe that Scotland should be an independent, outward-looking country, playing a full part in an inclusive, rules-based international system, as we have different views on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) commitment to membership of NATO following independence is excluded from this agreement.

 

  • While we have been able to agree significant areas for priority action in species protection, field sports are excluded from this agreement, except to the extent they are addressed in the shared programme.

 

  • While we agree that support should be provided to women selling sex, including healthcare support, the legal status and regulation of selling sex is excluded from this agreement.

 

  • While we have agreed to work together to take forward a programme of education reform, private fee-paying independent schools are excluded from this agreement.