Scottish Parliamentary Elections

Scottish Conservative Leader Annabel Goldie MSP highlights what the Conservatives could do for Scotland.

We are now entering the final phase before the elections to the Scottish Parliament and all 32 local authorities in Scotland. We have a clear message to the people of Scotland - that we care about the real issues that matter, namely: crime, escalating drugs abuse, mounting NHS cuts, slipping education standards and a lack of affordable housing. Our policies for the elections are focused on these areas that go right to the heart of Scottish priorities.

The failed Lib-Lab Pact has not delivered for Scotland and people in Scotland are now, quite rightly, disillusioned with Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The SNP are playing on that frustration and disappointment. The challenge we face is to ensure that, rather than being distracted by those who want to break up the Union with England, people listen to our proposals to deliver where the Lib-Lab pact has failed.

One of our top priorities will be to address the increasing damage caused by crime in Scotland. Crime and, in particular, drug crime is spiralling out of control. Drug crime has increased by 46 per cent since 1999 and there are now 121 drug crimes a day, with one devastating and unnecessary drug-related death every single day.

We need to tackle the appalling human and social costs of drug-taking in Scotland by rehabilitating those caught up in a life of drugs and helping them on the way to recovery. On his last visit to Scotland, David Cameron and I announced an investment of £100 million a year of extra money for drugs rehabilitation programmes.

According to the Government’s own figures, for every £1 spent on drugs treatment, at least £9.50 is saved in criminal justice and health costs. Viewed in these terms, what we have pledged is, in effect, a billion pound benefit to the people of Scotland.

Failure of Lib-Lab coalition

Labour and their Lib Dem colleagues are failing the very people they claim to care about the most. Poverty continues to blight the lives of far too many families. Average life expectancy in the wealthiest parts of Scotland is the highest in the western world. However, in the poorest parts, it is a mere 64.4 years – lower than Lebanon, North Korea and the Gaza Strip, and things are getting worse. Whilst life expectancy in Scotland as a whole rose by two years since 1992, it fell by eight weeks in the poorest areas.

The Lib-Lab Pact has failed to raise standards in schools. In the most deprived 15 per cent of areas, average attainment at age 16 is two Standard Grades (at grade 3) below Scotland as a whole.

Furthermore, they have failed to deliver adequate levels of affordable housing. The Executive’s own Economic report for 2006 reveals that, in the past year, first time buyer activity sunk to its lowest level in 25 years.
We have been bringing forward policies to remedy the Lib-Lab failings and to give Scotland a secure and prosperous future. The Conservatives may have a smaller presence in the Scottish Parliament than Labour and the Nationalists, but we have led the debate on issues like business rates, early release, drugs abuse, police numbers and violence in schools. We have made a difference and we will continue to do so after May 3rd.