The Finance Minister has started presenting his Budget for 2011. The main points of the Budget are:

* GDP growth in real terms of 3% next year.

* A reduction of the government deficit to 2.8%

* Incentives to promote job creation

* Minimum wage earners offered financial assistance to join training courses

* Scrappage scheme announced to reduce the number of old cars

* Excise duty on fuel to rise by 3c per litre immediately

* Excise duty imposed on cement

* Excise duty on cigarettes rising by between 3-4%

* Duty on spirits rises by 13% – duty on local beer up by 1c

* VAT on hotels and other accommodation services raised to 7% from 5%

* Cost of living increase of €1.16, also applicable in full to pensioners.

* Increase in services pension

* Measures to encourage purchase of electric cars

* Science and Technology Centre to be set up in Kalkara

* €41m allocated for arterial roads

* Increased spending on tourism, education and health

* New subsidy scheme on purchase of solar heaters

* €200 increase in tax rebates for parents of private school students