Category: Campaign Responses

If re-elected, the SNP will bring forward a Circular Economy Bill to advance Scotland's ambitions for the circular economy through measures which will encourage reuse of products and reduce waste. The bill will tackle our reliance on single-use items and include measures to tackle textile pollution and fast fashion. An SNP Scottish Government will take action to ban single-use plastic cutlery and will also create a fund based on the success of the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund for innovation in tackling textile pollution and throw-away culture. We will implement our ambitious Deposit Return Scheme for single use drinks containers next year to improve recycling, reduce litter and achieve our climate change targets. Fiona Hyslop

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing health inequalities across all areas of Scotland. Despite a significant improvement in oral health in adults in Scotland over the last 40 years, the SNP is committed to take further measures to address the additional pressures Covid-19 has placed on our dental services. Health and deprivation are intimately connected issues. This is why the SNP Scottish Government has taken an ambitious and multidisciplinary approach to tackle oral health inequalities such as the Oral Health Improvement Plan, which in 2018 introduced personalised care plans on evidence-based individual needs assessments. Since the SNP came into office, the number of people registered with an NHS dentist has almost doubled. In 2018/2019, the SNP Scottish Government made available £500,000, through the Community Challenge Fund, for organisations in deprived…

The impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients has been a top priority in all of the SNP Scottish Government’s planning which is why the majority of cancer treatments have, and will, continue throughout the pandemic. The SNP Scottish Government have invested £10 million to support cancer services during and beyond the pandemic, which will support access to cancer services including diagnostics and staffing; and have utilised private sector capacity and extended working days and weekend working to support vital cancer services.  Diagnosing and treating cancer will remain a priority for me and the SNP Scottish Government through our new Cancer Recovery Plan with a planned investment of up to £114.5 million over the next two years.  The Cancer Recovery Plan will support cancer patients to have equitable access to care regardless…

I, alongside the SNP, believe that victims’ rights should be at the very heart of the criminal justice system. For this reason the SNP set up the Victims Taskforce to improve support, advice and information for victims of crime and remain committed to supporting its work over the next parliament. If re-elected, an SNP Government will appoint a Victims’ Commissioner to provide an independent voice for victims and witnesses and review the provision of victim services. Furthermore, an SNP Government will develop a new funding regime for victim support organisations and introduce a justice-specific knowledge and skills framework for trauma informed practice. In recognition of the fact that involvement with the justice system can be particularly difficult for children, the SNP will ensure that child victims and witnesses will have access…

The SNP is proud to support WaterAid in their ambition to put climate change at the top of the agenda at this year’s elections and in the run up to COP26 in Glasgow. In Government, the SNP has implemented the ambitious target to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030, which is 5 years ahead of the UK Government. A greener Scotland is at the centre of the SNP’s election pledges, including progressive domestic policy commitments such as £100 million investment into green jobs, £1.6 billion investment into efficient heating, and the restoration of over 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030. Crucially, if re-elected, an SNP Scottish Government would double our world-leading Climate Justice Fund to £24 million over four years. As an internationalist party, the SNP is taking important steps…

Trees, woodlands and the natural environment are an essential social, economic and environmental asset to Scotland. Protecting this landscape is also key to tackling the climate emergency and supporting jobs in this sector. This is why the SNP are proud to put this issue at the centre of our election commitments so that Scotland’s woodlands can expand and flourish.  In Government, the SNP has made significant strides in protecting and expanding Scotland's woodlands. We have smashed our yearly 10,000 hectare tree planting target, with 11,200 hectares of new woodland planted in a year. In 2019-20, we are proud to have exceeded this target in the Climate Change Plan.  Alongside our bold plan to plant 22 million trees a year, an SNP Government would continue to take forward the Scottish Government’s…

The Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of the UK social security system and has strengthened calls to further explore how a universal basic income could provide support to people and reduce poverty. While a basic income pilot is desirable, it is not feasible within the current devolved settlement as necessary welfare and tax powers remain with the UK Government through the DWP and HMRC. I urge the UK Government to engage constructively with the Scottish Government on this matter and discuss next steps towards a universal basic income pilot.  Even with a pilot, it should be understood that such a systematic change to the welfare state would take many years to introduce.  The UK Government has eroded the social safety net over the last decade, through brutal cuts to…

The SNP is committed to empowering people and communities to exercise their rights and responsibilities, to resolve disputes and other civil justice problems at the earliest opportunity. There is growing interest within Scotland and internationally in the role of mediation as a mechanism for resolving disputes. Now is the time for serious consideration of action to change the way in which mediation is viewed and deployed within the civil justice system as it is clear that mediation should have a bigger role to play in helping citizens resolve disputes. In 2018, the SNP Scottish Government commissioned Scottish Mediation to undertake an independent review of the use of mediation in the civil justice system in Scotland. The report was published in June 2019.  It identifies a number of structural and cultural challenges…

The SNP does not wish to instruct how Scottish institutions, organisations or individuals approach this and other issues. We respect the autonomy of Scottish institutions in making decisions to boycott independently should they so choose.  There should be nothing to prevent the BDS campaign within individual institutions. The SNP have engaged directly with both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to encourage a two-state solution. The SNP will continue to press a sustainable solution for lasting peace.  Fiona Hyslop

I, alongside the SNP, oppose LGBTI conversion therapy practices, which are discriminatory and proven to have a harmful effect on the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTI people. There is no place for conversion therapy in Scotland. Such practices are discriminatory and harmful to the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTI people. The UK Government made a commitment to ban conversion therapy in their LGBT Action Plan, and we fully support this, as much of what is needed to take forward an effective ban is reserved to Westminster. If the UK Government does not take forward such a ban, then we will do so within the limits of the Scottish Parliament’s powers.  Fiona Hyslop