STURGEON: We’ll scrap NHS dentist charges

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AN SNP Government will scrap NHS dentistry charges as part of a massive £2.5billion funding boost.

Fillings, check ups and other vital treatments will be free if Nicola Sturgeon is re-elected.

The First Minister also promised spending increases on education and social care as she launched her party’s Holyrood election manifesto.

Polls show the SNP is on course for victory at the May 6 election, with an outright majority on the cards.

It was the SNP’s turn yesterday to launch their manifesto and Sturgeon unveiled what she described as a “transformational” agenda.

Key was the multi-billion pound increase in health spending over five years, which works out at a rise of at least 20 per cent.

Part of this funding injection will go on a four per cent wage rise for NHS staff but Sturgeon also revealed that a visit to the dentist will be less painful.

She announced an SNP Government will abolish all NHS dentistry charges over the course of the parliament.

Sturgeon is expected to ram home her message today in Glasgow, where she is expected to say: “NHS services should be free at the point of need, and when I was health secretary, I was proud to abolish prescription charges, which were little more than a tax on ill health.

“Although we have made huge progress in improving access to dental treatment in Scotland in recent years, charges remain a barrier for too many people.

“That’s why, if re-elected, an SNP Government will abolish all NHS dentistry charges in Scotland.”

It’s expected that the roll-out will be started with a section of Scots aged 18-26 and, over the course of the parliament, the whole population will be offered free treatment.

Sturgeon will say: “As we do this, we will engage with the British Dental Association and others to help shape a reformed funding arrangement to make their services sustainable for the long-term.”

Sturgeon also confirmed the creation of a National Care Service, funding for closing the educational attainment gap, as well as promising to extend free childcare and school meals.

She committed an SNP government to doubling the £10-a-week Scottish Child Payment – a key policy in the fight against poverty.

Sturgeon also announced cash for a four-day working week pilot: “Before the pandemic struck, many people were already worried about work-life balance. We want to do more to support people to achieve a better balance and help businesses employ as many people as possible.

“As part of that, we will establish a £10million fund to support willing companies to explore and pilot the benefits of a four-day working week.”

On tax, she vowed to maintain Scotland’s “progressive” income tax system, but said no rises were on the way: “To provide stability to the economy and to household budgets during this period of recovery, I can confirm our intention is to freeze the rates of income tax throughout the next parliament.”

Sturgeon also said an SNP Government wanted to hold an independence referendum before the end of 2023 – if the pandemic is over. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “As we emerge from the collective trauma of Covid, Scotland can’t afford for the scandal-hit Government’s failures – sky-high child poverty rates, fewer teachers, fewer police officers and millions wasted on mismanaged projects – to continue.

“Scotland deserves better. We can’t afford to have an ‘eye off the ball’ during the recovery – that’s why we need a better government and a better

opposition. Rather than being distracted by the old arguments, Scottish Labour has a national recovery plan to ensure we emerge a better, stronger and fairer nation than went into lockdown last year.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie added: “We are still waiting on the SNP delivering promises they made in 2007.

“They have a one-track mind for independence that prevents them getting anything else done.

“Class sizes, council tax, superfast broadband, delayed discharge – promise after promise broken.

“This pattern repeats over and over again. And it will be even worse if the SNP get a majority.”

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: “If they get a majority, the SNP will put a referendum roadblock in front of

Scotland’s recovery.

“No amount of stop signs from the Scottish public will force the SNP to do a U-turn.

“They are determined to create a constitutional crisis that would crash Scotland’s economy and force us through years of division and uncertainty.”