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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Education at heart of Labour plan | Education at heart of Labour plan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Scottish Labour has used its Holyrood election manifesto launch to put education at the heart of its plans for the next parliament. | Scottish Labour has used its Holyrood election manifesto launch to put education at the heart of its plans for the next parliament. |
| Party leader Jack McConnell told a press conference that education would have "first call" on all extra spending by the Scottish Executive. | Party leader Jack McConnell told a press conference that education would have "first call" on all extra spending by the Scottish Executive. |
| He insisted other departments would have to "cut their cloth" accordingly. | He insisted other departments would have to "cut their cloth" accordingly. |
| Mr McConnell also included a pledge to expand the availability of modern language lessons for children. | Mr McConnell also included a pledge to expand the availability of modern language lessons for children. |
| The party, which has already given commitments to raising the school leaving age to 18, said Scotland should be the best educated country in the world. | The party, which has already given commitments to raising the school leaving age to 18, said Scotland should be the best educated country in the world. |
| At the manifesto launch on Tuesday in Glasgow, he promised to recruit 500 extra language teachers and assistants to help equip young Scots for the global economy. | At the manifesto launch on Tuesday in Glasgow, he promised to recruit 500 extra language teachers and assistants to help equip young Scots for the global economy. |
| The people in the most expensive homes, for example, those whose homes are worth more than £1m, will pay a little bit more each year to make the system fairer Jack McConnell href="/1/hi/scotland/6541383.stm">At-a-glance manifesto class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/6541757.stm">McConnell says 'stakes are high' | |
| 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. |
| Launching the 103-page document Mr McConnell insisted he was "not fighting" for his job but "fighting for Scotland". | Launching the 103-page document Mr McConnell insisted he was "not fighting" for his job but "fighting for Scotland". |
| He told those attending the event: "To put Scotland first, we must put education first. | He told those attending the event: "To put Scotland first, we must put education first. |
| "We can now take our most radical step yet. This is bigger than the smoking ban, more important than our justice reforms, more groundbreaking than Fresh Talent." | "We can now take our most radical step yet. This is bigger than the smoking ban, more important than our justice reforms, more groundbreaking than Fresh Talent." |
| Council tax has already emerged as a key election battleground, and Labour's plans for reform of the system go into more detail than the party has previously given. | Council tax has already emerged as a key election battleground, and Labour's plans for reform of the system go into more detail than the party has previously given. |
| Mr McConnell said the reform will be achieved by creating an extra band at the top and the bottom of the scale - by turning Band A and Band H into two bands each. | Mr McConnell said the reform will be achieved by creating an extra band at the top and the bottom of the scale - by turning Band A and Band H into two bands each. |
| Scotland has just over 11,000 Band H homes. | Scotland has just over 11,000 Band H homes. |
| Mr McConnell said: "The people in the most expensive homes, for example, those whose homes are worth more than £1m, will pay a little bit more each year to make the system fairer." | Mr McConnell said: "The people in the most expensive homes, for example, those whose homes are worth more than £1m, will pay a little bit more each year to make the system fairer." |
| Labour has also promised to raise the cap on university and college places for the first time in a decade and increase the number of those studying science and technology subjects. | Labour has also promised to raise the cap on university and college places for the first time in a decade and increase the number of those studying science and technology subjects. |
| The manifesto has committed a Labour administration to producing an education bill within its first 100 days in office. | The manifesto has committed a Labour administration to producing an education bill within its first 100 days in office. |
| READ THE MANIFESTO Scottish Labour manifesto in full[1.89 MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | READ THE MANIFESTO Scottish Labour manifesto in full[1.89 MB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| The party has also promised to scrap water and sewerage charges for pensioners. | The party has also promised to scrap water and sewerage charges for pensioners. |
| New plans include initially reimbursing the elderly for half the cost of bills before ultimately "moving towards" complete abolition. | New plans include initially reimbursing the elderly for half the cost of bills before ultimately "moving towards" complete abolition. |
| On jobs, the party would set up a new full employment agency with the aim of getting 100,000 people off benefits and into work. | On jobs, the party would set up a new full employment agency with the aim of getting 100,000 people off benefits and into work. |
| Labour would also double business rate discounts for small firms and give other rate cuts for firms involved in research and development. | Labour would also double business rate discounts for small firms and give other rate cuts for firms involved in research and development. |
| Name and shame | Name and shame |
| On health, waiting time targets would 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 would 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 would be introduced for physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and chiropodists by 2011. | A new waiting time standard of nine weeks would be introduced for physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and chiropodists by 2011. |
| On crime, Labour wants to name and shame those responsible for anti-social behaviour. | On crime, Labour wants to name and shame those responsible for anti-social behaviour. |
| On the environment, it has pledged financial incentives for domestic recycling and energy efficiency, and a Scottish climate change bill. | On the environment, it has pledged financial incentives for domestic recycling and energy efficiency, and a Scottish climate change bill. |