Rona Mackay MSP: COVID recovery plan puts East Dunbartonshire first
The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has today announced an ambitious Programme for Government aimed at ensuring a strong economic recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Under the commitments, all young people in Scotland aged 16 to 24 will be guaranteed a job, education, apprenticeship or formal training through a new £60 million government scheme.
By this Autumn, a £100 million Green Jobs fund will be launched to help up to 10,000 people of all ages retrain for jobs in growth sectors such as renewables.
The SNP government has also announced a new £10 million Tenant Hardship Fund, which will open later this year and offer interest-free loans to those unable to access other forms of support for their housing costs.
A comprehensive independent review of adult social care will also take place – setting out options for the creation of a National Care Service.
Commenting, SNP MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Rona Mackay:
“Coronavirus has been the greatest public health crisis in our lifetime – impacting our health, economy and our way of life.
“The SNP government has made it its mission to create new jobs right here in Strathkelvin and Bearsden. This is a Programme for Government that protects people’s livelihoods, guarantees opportunities for all our young people and points the way to a future with better, greener jobs as Scotland looks to becoming a net-zero country.
“We can’t simply go back to how things were – we have an opportunity to build back a fairer and better Scotland.
“That’s why the First Minister has announced these unprecedented measures to help us reform social care, protect our young people and invest in our local economy – all while continuing to suppress the virus.
“As ambitious as these commitments are, the Scottish Government continues to fight Coronavirus with one hand tied behind its back. Westminster’s plans to end to the furlough scheme prematurely and crash out of the EU without a deal later this year, will be deeply damaging.
“As an independent European nation, we could do so much more.”