Scottish election 2021: Lib Dems pledge adult social care reform
- Published
Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie visited a foodbank in Edinburgh as he set out social care plans
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has pledged to deliver a "new deal" for adult social care.
He said national care service standards would be established as part of "bold and liberal" reforms.
Mr Rennie said the plans, alongside national pay bargaining, would give care workers "proper recognition, fair pay and better careers."
The cost of at-home care and advanced dementia care would be scrapped, he added.
The party also pledged to give relatives of care home residents essential caregiver status to prevent them being separated from loved ones as happened during the pandemic.
"Scotland's social care sector needs reform after the hell it has been through in the last year," Mr Rennie said.
"I want Scotland to come together behind a positive programme that puts recovery first, not another set of bungled reforms," he added.
SCOTLAND ALERTS: Get extra updates on BBC election coverage
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said he would "work with anyone" to institute a minimum income standard in Scotland.
The move would see Holyrood set an income threshold that Scots cannot to fall beneath and would be topped up by the social security system.
Mr Sarwar also pledged to double the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week.
Announcing the policies in Glasgow, Mr Sarwar said: "A national recovery after Covid should mean a minimum income guarantee for people that no one falls below - restoring dignity to those who have been denied it.
"That means Parliament working together to ensure good jobs, lower housing costs, and a social security system there when people need it."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar visited Glasgow Kelvin to discuss the party's plan for social security
In Ardrossan, the Scottish Greens have pledged to upgrade Scotland's ferry network with a "green fleet" strategy.
The party wants to end the competitive bidding process and make inter-island ferries part of a publicly owned Scottish national infrastructure.
The Greens want to work with Transport Scotland and CalMac to replace the diesel fleet with electric or hydrogen ferries, like those used in Scandinavia.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: "We have a publicly-owned operator, but it is held back by having to bid for the contract every six years at great expense.
"Without that, government and CalMac could take a more strategic long-term approach to upgrading the fleet to lower emissions and tackle the climate emergency."
SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS
What's happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the government. Find out more here.
What powers do they have? MSPs pass laws on aspects of life in Scotland such as health, education and transport - and have some powers over tax and welfare benefits.
Who can vote? Anyone who lives in Scotland, is registered to vote and aged 16 or over on 6 May is eligible. You can register to vote online, external.
In Glasgow, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross met with a drug recovery group to launch a "Right to Rehab" pledge.
He said the right to access residential drug rehabilitation services should be included in law so that drug users cannot be denied treatment.
Mr Ross blamed Scotland's drug death figures on the SNP, saying the Scottish government had "taken its eye off the ball".
The Scottish Conservative leader said: "Tackling drug deaths has not been a priority and that has to change now. Too many lives have already been lost.
"We will seek to enshrine a right to rehab in law to make sure that everyone who wants help gets access to the treatment they need, accompanied by a central fund to bypass the broken system."
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said there would be "no limit" to her party's ambitions for boosting the economy and creating new jobs
The SNP have pledged that securing a long-term recovery from the Covid pandemic will be its "overriding ambition" if it is re-elected next month.
Party leader Nicola Sturgeon said there would be "no limit" to her party's ambitions for boosting the economy and creating new jobs.
She vowed to invest £33bn in infrastructure over the next five years and plans to build 100,000 affordable homes over the next decade.
Ms Sturgeon criticised companies who had used "fire and rehire tactics" over the pandemic and pledged to push the UK government to act, as they had "so far refused to take the necessary steps".
She also announced plans to help companies implement a four day working week for employees, with a £10m fund.
POLICIES: Who should I vote for?
CANDIDATES: Who can I vote for in my area?
PODLITICAL: Updates from the campaign
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