Widow on how campaign hit her health
were stillsti expecting me to fight ththat campaign. “And thank God I did keep goingg because we heard tthese magic words from Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday.Tue “TheTh doctor told me I had tto take it easier becausebeca one day I wouldwoul collapse.” WorriedW medics are continuingcont to monitor Amanda.Am She said: “I had one of these turns a few weeks ago in the pet shop. Staff got me to sits down and got me somesom help. “TwoTw weeks ago I had a bad fall. I’ve stills got the bruises. But defiant Amanda added: “My heart might be a bit dodgy but there’s nothing wrong with my tongue. As long as I can breathe, I’ll keep using it to fight for Frank’s Law.”
Health Minister Shona Robison visited Amanda’s home in Kirriemuir, Angus, on Thursday to hail her push for a law change that will benefit 9000 Scottish families.
But Amanda is unhappy that Frank’s Law is not scheduled to be introduced until 2019.
She said: “I appreciate things can’t happen overnight – the wheels of Government are very slow– but 2019 is 18 months away. That’s a lifetime for families going through this.
“I knew there would be a lot of hard days ahead when we started this but I say to people, ‘My battle for Frank’s Law was difficult but it’s nothing compared to Frank’s battle.’”
Meanwhile, Robison has asked the UK Government to ensure that fami lies boosted by the introduction of Frank’s Law won’t have disability benefits slashed.
She has written to David Gauke, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to ensure there is no repeat of the welfare cuts imposed when Free Personal Care was introduced in 2002.
The decision resulted in the Scottish Government spending an additional £ 600million to mitigate against those benefits being withdrawn.
Scotland wi l l gain powers over 15 per cent – £2.9billion – of social security spending by 2020. Westminster will keep control of the remaining 85 per cent.