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| Economy | Scottish Labour will create a full employment agency, getting a further 100,000 Scots into work within eight years and increase the number of modern apprenticeships to 50,000 a year by the end of the next parliamentary term.
| Support wealth and job creators with business rates being abolished for 120,000 small firms; reduce business burdens; have a trimmer Scottish Enterprise and more procurement contracts for SMEs. Abolish council tax and lower local taxation with local income tax. | The Liberal Democrats want to cut Scottish business rates to below the level in England and Wales in order to increase Scottish competitiveness. We want to set up an agency to spearhead investment in Research & Development and we want to cut red tape and reduce regulation. | The Tories will introduce sunset clauses on regulations, implement a procurement unit that will give preference to small and local businesses for government contracts, amalgamate Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, abolish Local Enterprise Companies abolish business rates for small business and cut business rates for medium sized businesses and slash regulation. |
| Education | There are plans to rebuild or refurbish a further 250 schools. Labour will ensure no child is left behind as we build Scotland's potential through Skills and Science Academies and high quality volunteer placements | Improved opportunities with 50% more free nursery education, class sizes of 18 in P1-P3 and more personalised and vocational learning in schools. Will scrap Graduate Endowment; replace Student Loans with grants and lift graduate debt. | We will introduce a free playgroup place for all two-year-olds. We want to have a more personalised approach to learning in schools which will better meet the needs of the individual pupil. And in universities and colleges we will abolish the Graduate Endowment and continue to oppose the introduction of Top-Up Fees in Scotland. | Introduce a new Education Act, establishing clear roles for all education partners, enhancing the powers of head teachers and restoring school boards. Support for specialist schools and pilot scheme for city academy in Glasgow. Investigate future funding of universities and colleges. Establish Scottish Skills Agency, incorporating Careers Scotland and the skills functions of Scottish Enterprise and overseeing modern apprenticeships and skill-seekers operations. |
| Communities | There will be plans to invigorate Scotland's town centres through investment and an ambitious renewal strategy. We will expand the Homestake shared-equity scheme to give more families the first home they aspire to. | More help for first time buyers with £2,000 first time buyers' grant and expanded shared equity schemes. Higher energy efficiency standards in buildings. Planning to recognise need for affordable housing. | The Liberal Democrats want to introduce new models of social housing such as Community Land Trusts. We want to give local communities more of a say over their own affairs and have a greater stake in the decisions which affect their lives. | Will introduce local Affordable Homes Trusts, run by trustees independent from the state, worth £100m every year to which aspiring home owners can apply for assistance. Council Tax for pensioners will be cut by 50%. |
| Health | There will be a focus on health prevention as well as cure; men's health MOTs will be introduced and Scotland will become the first nation in the world to offer free vaccination against cervical cancer to young women.
| A patient-centred NHS will have a new individual waiting time guarantee; local access to healthcare protected; elections to health boards and prescription charges phased out. Annual health checks and piloted free nutritious meals in schools, plus health-MOTs for adults. | We will make sure that people can have treatments and tests closer to where they live by opening 100 new local health centres. We will tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity with one hour of physical education every day. We will also establish a Children's Health Service. | Local is best; retain local emergency and maternity services, working toward a minimum standard of access for local people. Review NHS24, investigating alternative methods of delivery. Improve the system for elective treatments by allowing patients to choose which hospital will perform their operation. £10m pa to allow dental hygienists to be trained to therapist level. |
| Transport | An Edinburgh Air Link will be delivered, along with Edinburgh Trams and plans for a replacement Forth crossing. We will build on the air discount scheme, offering a 40% reduction in the cost of ferry travel for island residents who are foot passengers.
| Improve capacity of existing transport network. Reduce train journey
times between cities. New Forth crossing. More investment with
infrastructure bonds. More flexi-working; park-and-rides to ease
congestion and increased use of green fuels.
| The Liberal Democrats want to see faster rail links between Scotland's
cities. Also want to discuss with the UK Government a high speed rail
link between Edinburgh/Glasgow and London. Continue to support the Air
Route Development Fund. Committed to completing the Edinburgh Airport
Rail Link, the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, support Edinburgh Trams and
will work with SPT and Transport Scotland on the Glasgow Crossrail
Project. | Will review the economic and environmental case for high-speed rail links, specifically considering a link between Glasgow and Edinburgh and Scotland and London. Will remove tolls from the Forth Road Bridge and the Tay Road Bridge. They have pledged £30m per year to improve and upgrade key roads such as A75, A9, A82 and the A96 in addition to the £15m Black Spot funding. They continue to support public transport, buses and ferries. |
| Environment & Rural | Tough targets will be set for developing renewable energy, along with a Scottish Climate Change Bill to cut emissions by 60% by 2050. | New entrants' scheme for farmers and no GM, reduce the burden of
regulation on farmers, maximise locally produced food in public sector
contracts, taking lead role in the UK delegation to EU fisheries
negotiations, involving fishing community in conservation policy,
additional support for the onshore fishing sector. | New ambitious
targets for recycling and we want to introduce Council Tax discounts
for people who install microrenewables in their homes. New Scottish
food and drink promotion body, more affordable housing through
community land trusts, increase use of Scottish produce across public
sector, cut red tape and bureaucracy in agriculture. | Would promote a wider understanding of the countryside and rural issues to lead to responsible environmental stewardship. Will consider introducing a Marine Act to ensure marine wildlife is properly sustained. |
| Sport | Will improve play parks, improve school play grounds, widen access to safe green space, and invest in structured activities for all children and families to enjoy playing together. All young children will have access to at least one organised out of school hours activity to participate in on a regular basis. | More opportunities for youngsters to be fit and active with 2 hours PE
per week for every pupil, a moratorium on the sale of playing fields
and free access to council swimming pools. | More outdoor activity and
education for young people, 1 hour of physical activity a day for
children and extra sports coaches. | The Conservatives have pledged their support for the Commonwealth Games bid for Glasgow in 2014. |
| Culture | Labour want all Scots to have access to cultural events and will use more public buildings as venues, EventScotland will work to bring more high profile events to Scotland. | Integrate tourism with economic development. Stronger marketing effort
and lighter regulation. Decentralised information and services. St.
Andrews Day national holiday and new Winter Festival. Tax exemption
scheme for artists and a £2m 'Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund'. | We want
to increase the effectiveness of the marketing of Scotland as an
international destination. We also want to see communities having more
access to cultural events and promote the concept of the Rabbie Burns
centenary as a Homecoming Festival for Scots who live abroad and people
of Scottish ancestry. | Promotion of Scotland the Brand. Visit Scotland to promote Scottish initiatives not Visit Britain. Will promote Scottish culture but ensure that bodies are operationally independent from interference by politicians. Pass legislation to stop other countries portraying their produce as Scotch.
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| Energy | Tough targets will be set for developing renewable energy, along with a Scottish Climate Change Bill to cut emissions by 60% by 2050. Will adopt an energy policy that gives consideration to all sources of energy including renewable, nuclear, gas, coal and oil and we are committed to ensuring a safe and secure supply of electricity which is sustainable and affordable.
| Yes to green energy, no to nuclear. A Climate Change Bill with annual
carbon reduction targets of 3%. Support carbon capture, offshore wind
and community-based renewables. | To tackle climate change we are
committed to setting a target of generating 100% of Scotland's
electricity from renewable sources by 2050. We also want to set new
ambitious targets for recycling and we want to introduce Council Tax
discounts for people who install microrenewables in their homes. | Investing £12 million per year in eco-bonus scheme. Households, communities and small businesses entitled to apply for a grant to install modern energy-saving and energy-creating technology. Households and businesses entitled to grants of up to £4,000 which would help to cover costs of micro-renewables, community projects eligible for up to £100,000. Will adapt the Renewables Obligation to incentivise other renewable supplies and endorse nuclear power if Westminster does. |
| Justice | The number of community wardens will be doubled and new community justice programme schemes will be introduced to deliver fast, visible and effective justice in local communities. | Safer streets with 1,000 more community police officers; tougher action
against underage drinking, airguns and organised crime and a new
sentencing council for more consistent sentencing. There will be more
tough community punishments and fewer short prison sentences. | The
Liberal Democrats want to introduce a seven-year sentence to end the
growing problem of knife crime. We also want to replace very short
prison sentences with tougher community sentences. | Victims will come first in the justice system, with rapid resolutions, enough Procurators Fiscal, Sheriffs and Judges. Will hire 1,500 more police officers, remove red tape and bureaucracy. Local police will publish regular crime statistics, and Conveners of Police Boards will be elected. Remove automatic early release, introduce three strikes and you're out, review operation of bail and make prisons more effective. Invest £100m per year in drug treatment. |
