Scottish Labour votes to abolish charges for Social Care

As you may know, I’m currently undertaking a consultation on the abolition of charges for non residential social care. It is an issue close to my heart.

I’ve made my thoughts clear on this a number of times. Access to a high standard of non-residential social care is an equality and human rights issue; it cannot be fair that wealth is ever allowed to come into it. The unfairness of charges is exacerbated by the fact that charges for care services vary wildly between local authorities. An easier and fairer way would be for the Scottish Government to assist councils with the cost of the delivery of care and ensure that it is free at the point of delivery.

As a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland I hold surgeries across Lanarkshire and Falkirk. Everywhere I go, I hear of the struggles from disabled people from all walks of life brought on by social care charges. Living as a disabled person incurs all sorts of extra costs in the form of paying for things like more heating and specialised diets. Further social care charges means many are left unable to enjoy the things in life that non-disabled people take for granted. The result is that many disabled people fall below the poverty line while others who need additional help go without it for fear of cost.

I brought forward the consultation because I sensed there was a real mood among people with disabilities to tackle this issue. I know from my years on the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee that charities representing people with disabilities have long wanted to see an end to charges for social care. Even at the height of the Referendum last year, a petition from “Scotland Against the Care Tax” garnered signatures from thousands of individuals.

I was delighted that members voted to commit our party to axe the care tax at the Scottish Labour Party’s annual conference at the end of October. So much credit must go to those behind the motion, Pam Duncan-Glancy, who has grown up having care charges a constant in her life, and her friend Sean Morton. Both Pam and Sean made impassioned pleas for the removal of charges that resonated with the hall. You can find Sean’s impressive speech below.

The success of the motion is something our whole party can be very proud of and means that we go into the coming election committed to scrapping this unjust charge on disability. This creates a real dividing line between Labour and other parties.

My consultation on the care tax is still open and will be until the January 31st. I would welcome as much feedback as possible, so if you have something to add please do not hesitate to offer your submission.

You can read the consultation document here and respond to the consultation via the online smart survey here.

Siobhan McMahon MSP Backs Police Scotland Review

Central Scotland Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon is backing a comprehensive review of policing in Scotland.

Ms McMahon is also calling on Falkirk West MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Justice Michael Matheson to apologise to police officers who are putting their personal safety on the line to keep people safe in the face of brutal budget cuts from the Scottish Government.

This week Scottish Labour launched the Pearson Review, to be undertaken by Scottish Labour justice spokesperson Graeme Pearson.

Mr Pearson, a former Head of Crime and Counter Terrorism at Strathclyde Police before his appointment as Director General of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will travel the country speaking to rank and file officers, civilian staff, community groups, victim support staff and others as part of a wide-ranging review of policing in Scotland.

The review will consider:

• Local accountability
• The relationship between Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority and Scottish Government ministers
• Staffing
• Targets

Since the creation of the single force in 2013 Police Scotland has faced a series of scandals and controversies – including the M9 car crash, cuts to civilian staff and services, a lack of transparency over stop and search and armed officers.

Last year, Police Scotland agreed to merge control rooms across Scotland which resulted in the closure of the Stirling facility. This has meant that residents in Falkirk now have to speak with a call handler working out of Bilston in Edinburgh with no local knowledge.

Police Scotland also closed eight police stations across Lanarkshire and dramatically reduced the public opening hours in several other stations.

Last week Chief Constable Sir Stephen House announced he will be stepping down before the end of the year. 

Ms McMahon also challenged Mr Matheson to say whether or not he backs the £500,000 pay off received by outgoing Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, at a time when the SNP Government have cut local police services.

Central Scotland Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon said:

“Police officers put their personal safety on the line every single day to keep people safe, but they are working under immense pressure.

“Instead of doing the job they trained for, too many are having to fill back office functions because of SNP Government cuts.

“In Falkirk we have seen local residents having to speak with call handlers working in Edinburgh with no local knowledge after the closure of the Stirling control room, one of six axed by Stephen House. Meanwhile in Lanarkshire, we have seen several of our police stations closed and a dramatic reduction in the operating hours of many others in an attempt to cut costs.

“Scottish Labour supported the introduction of the single police force back in 2013 in the hope it would share best practice and boost accountability but something has gone badly wrong with its implementation. The resignation of Sir Stephen House was the right thing to do but the problems won’t follow him out the exit door.

“Policing in Scotland needs a shake-up. We need to get back to the kind of community policing that made Scotland the envy of the world at one time, the kind of people that people in Falkirk can trust.

“Michael Matheson needs to take responsibility for what has gone wrong on his watch and sort out the mess his government have made of Scotland’s once world class reputation for policing. Officers and staff in the police deserve better.”

 

Interested parties can make submissions to the Pearson Review at http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/page/s/the-pearson-review  or on pearsonreview@scottishlabour.email