Allan defends free personal care 21/2/13
MSP, Alasdair Allan, has severely criticised remarks made by the Labour Party in Scotland opposing free personal care for the elderly.
Dr Allan said that free personal care was something particularly necessary in the Western Isles, with its large elderly population, and questioned why a series of comments from Labour figures in Scotland have indicated this is a policy they no longer support.
Alasdair Allan commented: “Believe it or not there are some issues on which the SNP and Labour have until recent past been able to agree. Free personal care for the elderly was one of these.
“I am therefore astonished that Labour’s Deputy Leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, has this week opposed the “Focus on providing free personal care for the elderly”, despite being elected to parliament in 2010 on exactly such a policy commitment.”
Mr Allan added: “Families in the islands often face a difficult enough task as it is in planning for old age without the prospect of care being made more expensive.
“Mr Sarwar’s comments follow similar sentiments from Labour’s Scottish Leader Johann Lamont. They raise in my mind the question about what kind of cuts the next UK Government – whichever party it is – intend to inflict on Scotland’s budget. They certainly indicate that retaining Westminster control is a risky option for Scotland.”