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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Education top of Labour's agenda | Education top of Labour's agenda |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Labour will promise to put education first at the launch of their Holyrood election manifesto. | Labour will promise to put education first at the launch of their Holyrood election manifesto. |
| The party's Scottish leader, Jack McConnell, will set out his 20-year vision for teaching and training. | The party's Scottish leader, Jack McConnell, will set out his 20-year vision for teaching and training. |
| This will include a new pledge to expand the availability of modern language lessons. | This will include a new pledge to expand the availability of modern language lessons. |
| Mr McConnell wants to make Scotland the best educated country in the world and has already committed Labour to raising the school leaving age to 18. | Mr McConnell wants to make Scotland the best educated country in the world and has already committed Labour to raising the school leaving age to 18. |
| He also plans to create 100 skills academies to teach trades. | He also plans to create 100 skills academies to teach trades. |
| At the manifesto launch he will also promise to recruit 500 extra language teachers and assistants to help equip young Scots for the global economy. | At the manifesto launch he will also promise to recruit 500 extra language teachers and assistants to help equip young Scots for the global economy. |
| For Scotland to be the best equipped, most effective and most enlightened, then all of our people must be the best educated Jack McConnell class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/6539905.stm">Elsewhere on the election trail | |
| A new education bill would also enshrine in law the right of headteachers to exclude unruly pupils. | A new education bill would also enshrine in law the right of headteachers to exclude unruly pupils. |
| Mr McConnell will tell the launch event in Glasgow: "To put Scotland first, we must put education first. | Mr McConnell will tell the launch event in Glasgow: "To put Scotland first, we must put education first. |
| "For Scotland to be the best equipped, most effective and most enlightened, then all of our people must be the best educated." | "For Scotland to be the best equipped, most effective and most enlightened, then all of our people must be the best educated." |
| Labour will also pledge to raise the cap on university and college places for the first time in a decade, and increase the number of Scots studying science and technology subjects. | Labour will also pledge to raise the cap on university and college places for the first time in a decade, and increase the number of Scots studying science and technology subjects. |
| The manifesto will commit a Labour administration to producing an education bill within its first 100 days. | The manifesto will commit a Labour administration to producing an education bill within its first 100 days. |
| On jobs, the party will set up a new full employment agency with the aim of getting 100,000 people off benefits and into work. | On jobs, the party will set up a new full employment agency with the aim of getting 100,000 people off benefits and into work. |
| Labour will also double business rate discounts for small firms and give other rate cuts for firms involved in research and development. | Labour will also double business rate discounts for small firms and give other rate cuts for firms involved in research and development. |
| Waiting times | Waiting times |
| On health, waiting time targets will be halved, setting a maximum wait by 2011 of 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment, with shorter waits for more urgent treatment. | On health, waiting time targets will be halved, setting a maximum wait by 2011 of 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment, with shorter waits for more urgent treatment. |
| A new waiting time standard of nine weeks will be introduced for physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and chiropodists by 2011. | A new waiting time standard of nine weeks will be introduced for physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and chiropodists by 2011. |
| On crime, Labour want to name and shame those responsible for anti-social behaviour. | On crime, Labour want to name and shame those responsible for anti-social behaviour. |
| The manifesto will also hold out the prospect of "community courts" where people can have a say in how offenders should pay back communities. | The manifesto will also hold out the prospect of "community courts" where people can have a say in how offenders should pay back communities. |
| On the environment, it will pledge financial incentives for domestic recycling and energy efficiency, and a Scottish climate change bill. | On the environment, it will pledge financial incentives for domestic recycling and energy efficiency, and a Scottish climate change bill. |
| For families, there will be a beefing up of the "homestake" scheme to help the less well-off onto the housing ladder. | For families, there will be a beefing up of the "homestake" scheme to help the less well-off onto the housing ladder. |
| There will also be a commitment to first halve, then remove completely, water and sewerage charges for pensioners. | There will also be a commitment to first halve, then remove completely, water and sewerage charges for pensioners. |