NICOLA STURGEON has unveiled her legislative programme for the coming year with a pledge that ministers will “refocus our efforts and refresh our agenda”.
Going forward, she said the programme for government would “invest in our future and shape Scotland’s destiny”.
EDUCATION
Ms Sturgeon made clear that improving education and closing the achievement gap between rich and poor remained her Government’s number one priority.
To help with that, she said the Scottish Government would guarantee a multi-year package of funding for councils, allowing them to invest in recruiting and training the staff needed for a planned expansion in childcare.
She also announced an Education Bill would be brought forward to “reform the way teachers are recruited and educated throughout their careers”.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We will introduce new routes into teaching to attract the highest-quality graduates into priority areas and subjects.”
Ms Sturgeon also pledged to set out plans to reform student support and take forward the recommendations of the Widening Access Commission.
She said the government is “determined to open up university to all who have the talent to attend”.
She also said the number of modern apprenticeships would continue to increase to the 30,000 by 2020 target.
ECONOMY
Ms Sturgeon revealed Scotland’s network of investment hubs will be expanded to include Paris – “maximising opportunities in France, our third biggest export market”.
The First Minister also pledged greater investment in manufacturing, with the location and partners for a new national manufacturing institute for Scotland to be confirmed later this year and work due to start on site in 2018.
Ms Sturgeon announced the Scottish Government would provide direct funding to the feasibility stage of the proposed carbon capture and storage Acorn Project at St Fergus in Aberdeenshire.
FILM INDUSTRY
In the creative industries, an extra £10 million will be provided to bring screen development, production and growth funding to £20 million a year.
BUSINESS
A new “unlocking ambition challenge” will be set up to offer intensive support for up to 40 entrepreneurs each year.
The First Minister also stressed her desire for Scotland to have a “supportive environment”.
As part of a range of efforts to achieve that, the government will bring forward a Planning Bill, with Ms Sturgeon saying this would “support the efficient delivery of the development our communities need, including vital infrastructure”.
In order to help businesses access finance, she said work would begin to set up a new Scottish national investment bank.
ENVIRONMENT
A new Climate Change Bill will be introduced in the coming year that will setout “even more ambitious” targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Ms Sturgeon said.
The government will create low emissions zones in each of the four biggest cities in Scotland by 2020, she added.
The First Minister also confirmed the introduction of a deposit return scheme for bottles and cans.
Under such schemes, customers pay a surcharge when purchasing bottles or cans which will be refunded when they return them to a shop.
The government aims to phase out new petrol and diesel cars and vans across Scotland by 2032, eight years ahead of the UK Government target.
Ms Sturgeon outlined plans to “massively expand” electric charging points and set up pilot projects to encourage uptake of electric vehicles and to make the A9 Scotland’s first fully electric-enabled road.
She also said an innovation fund will be set up to encourage climate change solutions such as charging vehicles in areas with a high level of tenements.
CRIME
The Scottish Government will legislate to create a new criminal offence of drug-driving, Ms Sturgeon announced, with this to come into force from 2019.
To help curb reoffending, she said there would in future be a presumption against prison sentences of less than 12 months.
“We know that community sentences where appropriate are much more effective in reducing reoffending,” the First Minister said.
“We must now be even bolder in our efforts to keep people out of prison and reduce reoffending further.”
Legislation will be brought forward to reduce the need for children and other vulnerable people to have to give evidence in court.
RIGHTING A ‘HISTORIC WRONG’
Ms Sturgeon announced a new law to ensure anyone convicted of homosexual offences in the past will now receive an automatic pardon.
The Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill will also allow those pardoned to have the convictions removed from their criminal records.
Ms Sturgeon said: “Above all, this bill will right a historic wrong and give justice to those who found themselves unjustly criminalised simply because of who they loved.”
THE NHS
Ms Sturgeon said her government would deliver at least a real-terms increase in the NHS revenue budget next year, continue to develop the NHS workforce plan and introduce a new safe staffing bill “to make sure we have the right staff in the right places”.
She promised a “refreshed framework” to tackle alcohol misuse and a new strategy to tackle obesity “including measures to restrict the marketing of foods high in fat, sugar or salt”.
FRANK’S LAW
The First Minister confirmed the government would begin work to fully implement so-called Frank’s Law, that will extend free personal case to under-65s with conditions such as dementia.
Amanda started Frank's Law campaign in 2013 and @thecourieruk joined in 2014. A fine victory for all involved. #scotpfg pic.twitter.com/Cr1WyPADky
— Andrew Picken (@andrewpicken1) September 5, 2017
POVERTY
Sturgeon also announced that moves would be made to tackle period poverty by providing free access to sanitary products for students in schools, colleges and university.
Further plans to tackle poverty include setting up a £50 million fund to tackle child poverty over the next four years and a financial health check for low-income families.
The First Minister said she would consider options to place the Poverty and Inequality Commission on a statutory footing.
She added that in the next few weeks the location of the new social security agency will be announced, with the first devolved benefit being an increased carers allowance paid from next summer, backdated to April 2018.
On tackling poverty and inequality, Ms Sturgeon said options should be considered for “more fundamental reform in the longer-term”.
She confirmed the Scottish Government will work with “interested local authorities to fund research into the concept and feasibility of a citizens’ basic income”.
On housing, a new Warm Homes Bill will set a statutory target for the reduction of fuel poverty.
Meanwhile, a new £10 million fund to end homelessness is to be set up and a further £20 million will be invested in drug and alcohol services to address underlying problems.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Ms Sturgeon made plain her government in Edinburgh would “oppose any attemp tby the UK Government to repeal the Human Rights Act or European Convention onHuman Rights”.
She said: “I intend to seek independent advice to help us ensure that all existing, and where appropriate, future rights guaranteed by EU law are protected in Scotland after Brexit.”
Ms Sturgeon announced plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility fromeight to 12 “in line with international norms”.
She said there would be no opposition from the government to Green MSP John Finnie’s Private Member’s Bill banning smacking children.
She added that consideration would be given to the option of fully incorporating the principles UN Convention of the Rights of the Child into domestic law.
PAY CAP
The First Minister confirmed the government will lift the public-sector paycap.
She said: “Our nurses, teachers, police officers and firefighters deserve a fairer deal for the future.
“We will, therefore, aim to secure pay rises from next year that are affordable, but which also reflect the real-life circumstances our public servants face and the contribution our public services make to the overall prosperity of our country.”
TAX
Ms Sturgeon said the time was right to “open a discussion about how responsible and progressive use of our tax powers could help build the kind of country we want to be”.
Ahead of the budget, she said the government would publish a paper setting out the current distribution of income-tax liabilities in Scotland and analysis of “a variety of different options, including the proposals of the other parties across parliament”.
Ms Sturgeon added: “The purpose of this paper will be to inform the discussions we will have with other parties ahead of the budget.”
She insisted the government would go into these discussions “with an open mind and with the best interests of the country as a whole as our guiding principle”
Overall, the Scottish Government will bring forward 16 Bills in the coming year, Ms Sturgeon said.
She told MSPs: “The programme that I have set out today and the legislation is fresh, bold and ambitious, and because of that aspects of it will undoubtedly be controversial.
“That is inevitable – indeed it is necessary. No-one has ever built a better country by always taking the easy option.”
She continued: “This programme is about equipping Scotland not just for the next year, but for the next decade and beyond.
“At its heart is this ambition – to make our country the best place in the world to grow up and be educated, the best place to live, work, visit and do business, the best place to be cared for in times or sickness, need or vulnerability, and the best place to grow old.”
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