The Scotsman

Abandoned!

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I look forward with eager anticipati­on to Nicola Sturgeon’s programme for government. If recent years are anything to go by the programme will no doubt bear a remarkable resemblanc­e, in a couple of years’ time, to the list of abandoned SNP projects.

Lately we have seen the scrapping of the anti-sectarian football law and the ditching of John Swinney’s education reforms, whilst his primary school testing regime is next for the chop. The Named Person Scheme is in its death throes and the British Transport Police merger is on the

verge of being abandoned. How much time and taxpayers’ money has this government squandered on these and other ill-conceived policies? I wonder how many of the proposed measures for

the coming year will see the light of day.

Unfortunat­ely, the only issue which is held to be sacrosanct by this party – the one which transcends all – is the one to which they will continue to

devote most of their efforts and is the one which most needs to be put on hold or, better still, dumped altogether.

COLIN HAMILTON Braid Hills Avenue, Edinburgh

Over the summer months the first wave of devolved welfare powers to Scotland have taken effect with the payment of increased Carers Allowance. The Scottish Government, in legislatin­g for this increase, recognised the anomaly in Carers Allowance being below basic unemployme­nt benefit and have put things to right. This increase of approximat­ely £8.50 per week will benefit more than 70,000 carers and the Scottish Government in this one move are demonstrat­ing their whole new ethos for welfare reform, that of dignity and respect.

After all, carers save the country millions a year as they care for their loved ones. CATRIONA C CLARK

Hawthorn Drive Banknock, Falkirk

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