NICOLA Sturgeon today told Scotland's trade union leaders that her government's response to the cost of living crisis "is not perfect".

The First Minister made the assessment as she addressed the opening day of the STUC congress in Aberdeen and pledged she would keep the work in addressing the crisis under continual review.

"Our response to the cost of living crisis is not perfect," she told delegates.

"Given the Scottish Government's limited powers and given the severity of the crisis no package is ever going to be perfect. But I want to be clear today that we will continually assess and reassess what other steps we can take.

"And we will also continue, and I hope to have your support in doing so, to press the UK Government to take further action. To take any meaningful action given they hold the purse strings and most of the relevant levers."
She added: "But the measures we have taken so far I believe are in contrast to the inaction we have seen from the Tories and that is necessary."

During her speech Ms Sturgeon highlighted a 6 per cent increase the Scottish Government had made to devolved social security payments, almost double the increase made by the Conservatives, and doubled the Scottish Child Payment, given to low income households, by £20 a week.

The First Minister said the latter benefit did not exist anywhere else in the UK and would be benefit more than 100,000 children in Scotland under the age of six. She added that later this year, the benefit would rise to £25 per week and the eligibility for the benefit would be extended.

"These actions are part of a wider programme to tackle the obscenity of child poverty," she said.

"They include the expansion of child care and the additional efforts to support parents in well paying sustainable work."

She said the Scottish Government's response to the cost of living crisis has been "significant" and would mitigate the crisis for some households and demonstrating its commitment to promote a more equal society.

Earlier the First Minister announced a £100,000 annual trade union grant to help in Scotland's just transition to net zero.

The First Minister told the congress the money will be used to help support a fair approach to significantly cutting people's environmental impact.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The unions, through the creation of the Just Transition Commission, have already been fundamental to our policy thinking about a just transition.

"This funding will ensure that they continue to be vital, as we get on with delivering good, green jobs and a truly just transition."

The STUC will use the taxpayer cash to help co-ordinate worker engagement, share best practice, and provide policy support.

A just transition supports a net-zero and climate resilient economy, the Scottish Government said, in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice.

Ms Sturgeon added: "The Scottish Government economic strategy rests on the idea that by supporting those who are in poverty, by delivering a just transition, by supporting fair work - we can help people to fulfil their potential and to contribute to our economy and our society.

"That's a principle which I know the STUC is also committed to. It's why they are valuable partners, and also important sources of challenge, as we work to create a fairer, greener Scotland."

Roz Foyer, the STUC's general secretary, said that the "trade union movement has been at the forefront of pushing for a just transition, ensuring climate justice is entwined with workers' voices".

"This funding, in addition to the work ongoing within the Just Transition Commission, will ensure we hold business, Government and all other stakeholders to account," she said.

"We must secure good, green jobs, we must not leave communities abandoned and we must place fair work and workers' voices at the heart of any just transition."

In the Programme for Government, Holyrood ministers said they would establish a Just Transition Plan for all sectors, with the energy industry due to be the first - published alongside a new energy strategy.

But, last month, the Scottish Government announced it had delayed its Just Transition Plan until the autumn due to the "fast-moving energy landscape".

Liam Kerr, Scottish Conservative shadow energy secretary said: "Nicola Sturgeon has some cheek claiming the out-of-touch SNP are a friend of either the North East or hard-pressed Scottish households.

"The cost of living is a pressing problem for governments and people across the globe. "But the First Minister’s dogmatic revulsion for oil, gas and nuclear just exposes us to bigger bills and reliance on foreign imports — including from Putin's Russia.

"Renewable energy is vitally important but can't plug the gap on its own.
"The SNP-Green coalition are utterly blinkered to ramping up domestic energy production, while casually threatening tens of thousands of jobs here.

"So the Nationalists' policies threaten to make bills go up even higher."