Scottish Tory conference: Davidson says her party has right policies for Scotland

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said her party had the right policies for Scotland.

She told delegates gathered at the Tory conference in Edinburgh that she had a raft of measures to take the country forward.

One would be to see a "parent power" shake-up of education.

Another would be to encourage businesses to pay the living wage to their staff by giving them a cut to their business rates.

Ms Davidson believed an overhaul was needed to Scotland's education culture.

The MSP highlighted the case of St Joseph's Primary in Milngavie, which has been earmarked for closure but where the parents want to take over and run it as a community school directly funded by the Scottish government.

She argued: "What we need is to rebalance the system, giving more power to head teachers and a school community."

Ms Davidson added: "People all around the world of no political persuasion have seen the value in allowing parents and communities far more say in the running of their local school.

"I can tell you this: in Scotland right now there are parents and communities who would love the chance to run their school, but are being told they can't.

"They just keep running up against a government machine that's programmed to say 'we know best'."

School communities planning to opt out of council control under the Conservative plans would have to show the change would improve local education.

The conference speech also argued for the need "to totally free up" pre-school provision.

A central part of the proposal is for the government to guarantee a minimum number of free hours of nursery care and let parents decide who delivers it.

'Strike proper balance'

Ms Davidson said: "Today's families come in all different shapes and sizes - and their individual circumstances are just as varied and complicated.

"Freedom to choose between the fullest range of childcare and nursery providers is the best way to reconcile those complicated circumstances and help strike a proper balance between work and family.

Conservative leader David Cameron addressed party members in Edinburgh

"So that's the practical case for our flexible childcare plan. But there's a principle here too.

"No one knows better than parents how to bring up their children, and our plan for flexible childcare credits will make sure that's the case."

She said as Tories "we don't believe" it's the job of government to dictate pay rates to businesses.

However, Ms Davidson believed it was right to encourage firms to increase the wages of low-paid workers, not by threatening penalties but providing positive incentives to raise pay.

She explained to party members: "For small and medium sized companies that agree to pay the living wage, we'll offer a cut in their business rates over and above any they already get.

"We won't use public money to prop up pay, but we will cut taxes for small businesses that boost the pay-packets of their workers."

Ms Davidson finished her address with a rallying cry, telling delegates to "fight for Scotland's values, fight for Scotland's future and fight to win".

The conference had earlier heard from Mr Cameron who said it would be a mistake for voters to back Labour and the SNP at the ballot box at 7 May election.