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In his first major policy speech to the Parliament since being re-elected as First Minister, Mr Salmond said the new Government has an 'ambitious agenda' focusing on Scotland having control of her own destiny and a new partnership - the Social Wage - between politicians, public services and people to create the social and economic circumstances to allow Scots to meet their ambitions.

Read the First Minister's speech

The FM said priorities during the next five year term include:

• Growing the economy
• Tackling sectarianism
• Addressing Scotland's unhealthy relationship with alcohol
• The reform of public services
• Putting a jobs agenda at the heart of the programme for Government
• Internationalisation

Mr Salmond said:

"Already within the Scottish Government, we have secured a no compulsory redundancy deal. Our commitment is to extend this first to the tens of thousands of workers in our NHS, before working to ensure no compulsory redundancies across the public sector.

"And the steps this Parliament has already taken: free personal care, the abolition of tuition fees, the scrapping of tolls and the delivery of free prescriptions are our side of the bargain. As are the next steps, including the freezing of the Council Tax until the end of this Parliament. We know the pressures on family budgets. We know that these tough times are forcing difficult decisions in homes the length and breadth of our nation. Many have accepted a wage freeze. People understand that public spending must be restrained."

Mr Salmond told the Chamber that his continued aim was to deliver a better society for the people of Scotland.

"To make this progress, we need sovereign powers, like any state, but it's the purpose we put them to that is important, the path we choose, the horizon we aim for that counts for me."

On the Social Wage, the First Minister stressed that while there would be sacrifices, there would also be reward in the form of a society geared to values.

He said:

"Thjs is the pact, the promise, between politicians, public services and people. We shall deliver the social and economic circumstances that allow for people to dream, to aspire and to be ambitious - but it is for the individual to realise their dreams, to reach for their hopes, to meet their ambitions.

"For the sacrifices we must all make, there is a reward in the form of a society geared to our values. We do things differently here - not because we can, but because we want to.

"For Scotland's patients, our commitment to protecting the health budget is all about delivering the better and faster treatment we know they seek. For victims in our society, we will take forward the necessary reforms to improve their rights and give them their proper place at the heart of our justice system. For our unpaid carers, men and women, young and old, who give so much of their lives to look after the people they love, we will work to ensure they are true partners in the delivery of care and their special role is fully recognised. For job-seekers, students, pupils and their parents, our commitment is clear. We will create opportunity. We will work to build the conditions here in Scotland where you and yours can flourish.

These and others will be the living embodiment of our social contract, of the new partnership between this government and the people of our nation."

The First Minister went on to pledge his commitment to a £250 million Scottish Futures Fund, which will support five separate initiatives each with the potential to reshape the nation.

• A Youth Talent Fund to encourage the very best of talent in all parts of our country
• A Warm Homes Fund, to deliver warm homes for thousands of Scots in our most fuel poor communities and provide these communities with their own renewable generation
• A Future Transport Fund that will enable us to make the necessary transition to more sustainable travel
• A Next Generation Digital Fund, opening up all of Scotland to the potential of the digital revolution
• A Sure Start Fund, that has at its heart the determination to transform the life chances of thousands of newborn Scots

And on Sectarianism and Alcohol, the FM said:

"Part of the social wage is that we should work towards a safer society. In the age of Twitter and texts, the dreams of a free-speaking world are contaminated by strains of bitterness. Technology has given fresh energy to old hatreds and viral sectarianism again seeps across our land. It will be stopped. I will not have people living in fear of some idiotic 17th Century rivalry in the 21st Century.

"Sectarianism travels at least in part hand in hand with another scourge of our safety and happiness - the booze culture. Thus the first legislation this parliament will see in this term shall address bigotry and booze."

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