social welfare

To tackle its ailing economy and weak domestic demand, Beijing wrapped up its annual National People's Congress last week with increased investment in social welfare programmes as part of its grand economic plan for 2025.

While opposition parties say they would maintain these benefits, financial watchdogs warn that the extent of health and social welfare spending in Scotland is unsustainable.

Former mining communities say they are missing out on millions of pounds of investment from the sale of social welfare sites that miners helped pay for.

"People have given him a huge mandate. The IMF should respect that by allowing him to give some relief to the people through social welfare programmes," says Prof Uyangoda.

Much of this is gobbled up paying growing NHS, social welfare and public sector wage bills.