Scottish-Green-Manifesto

Scots Green manifesto!

The Scottish Green Party has launched its manifesto for the Holyrood elections. Here are the main points of the plan.
Communities
Redirecting executive subsidies and support for multi-national companies into funding to support local businesses.
Communities to get a say on new national planning frameworks.
An "Environmental Justice Fund" of at least £2m per year to support community improvements help them respond to environmental "threats".
The introduction of a wide-ranging Sustainable Communities bill which would create incentives to buy from local suppliers and requirements for parts of land in regeneration areas to remain in some form of community ownership.
Pay communities to protect "public goods", such as wild areas and freshwater.
Giving all rural households and businesses access to broadband.
Extend crofting throughout Scotland.
Increase native woodland cover to 20% by 2010, 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2050.
Economy
Improve the ability of small businesses to tender for public sector contracts.
Ensure that at least 10% of public spending goes through social enterprises by 2012.
Develop an Ethical Financial Services strategy and support initiatives such as credit unions.
Ensuring the Scottish Executive and its agencies use an indicator which measures quality of life against economic development.
Make sustainable development "the top priority" for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Create a national forum for sustainable economic development.
Work with councils to bring in environmental levies, for example on non-returnable packaging or road congestion.
Greater powers for the Scottish Parliament to bring in pollution tax and set a 50% tax rate for incomes of more than £100,000.
Replace council tax and uniform business rates with a Land Value Tax.
Expand the Sure Start child support programme and establish dedicated support services for parents, "before they reach crisis point".
"Radically" improve childcare and day-care for working parents and improve status of staff from current "low" levels.
New legislation to increase access to flexible working.
Block the use of PFI in new infrastructure schemes and develop alternatives, including municipal bonds.
Establish an independent review to explore how to bring the national grid into public ownership.
Make the reduction of public services' carbon footprints obligatory.
Environment
Appoint a minister for sustainable development and climate change.
Bring in legislation requiring the Scottish Executive to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050.
Establish a four-year fund worth £100m to support carbon-cutting community projects.
Generate 100% of electricity from renewable energy by 2050.
Set targets to improve the energy efficiency of housing and other buildings.
Transport
Upgrade footpaths and pavements
Link all schools and public centres by cycling and walking routes by 2017.
Improve bus services and conduct an inquiry into rural services and pricing.
More funding for Edinburgh trams.
Legislate for road traffic reduction.
Health
Bring in legislation to ensure levels of freshness for food procured by the public sector, including schools and NHS establishments.
Invest in projects to allow more vulnerable patients to be cared for at home.
Fund more respite facilities for older and disabled people.
Rule out fluoridation of the water supply and focus on school-based tooth-brushing schemes.
Increase the student nurse bursary to £10,000 to cut student drop-out rates.
Offer patients access to complimentary and alternative medicine through GPs and local health boards.
Raise the minimum age for buying tobacco to 18.
Waste
Every household in Scotland to be given access to kerbside recycling and compost bins for those with gardens.
Setting a target of zero waste by 2020.
Cut greenhouse gas emissions from waste management by at least half by 2020.
Phase out the sale of single-use batteries while introducing a recycling scheme.
Making incinerators ineligible for funding support.
Education
Maximum primary school class sizes of 20.
Set aside time in the curriculum for extended work experience.
Bonuses for teachers successful in raising attainment in deprived areas.
Ban advertising in schools and bring in free, healthy school meals.
Integrate state-funded religious schools into nondenominational education.
Improve support for home learning.
Scrap the student graduate endowment and bring back grants.
Fund outdoor skills training for teachers and provide cash to refurbish and develop outdoor centres.
Justice
Increased use of victim-offender mediation services.
Keep a record of reasons for sentencing and only jail offenders posing a "genuine risk to the public".
Introduce corporate killing legislation which places duty on individual directors.
Extend the children's hearing system to help 16-18-year-olds.