NHS Scotland will ship an additional 100,000 appointments in GP surgical procedures in a bid to finish the 08:00 “lottery”, First Minister John Swinney has pledged.
The SNP chief made the announcement as he unveiled his administration’s programme for presidency 12 months forward of the Holyrood election in Might 2026.
In addition to placing the NHS “on the coronary heart” of the legislative and coverage agenda, Swinney introduced his authorities would completely ban peak rail fares and finish an alcohol ban on ScotRail trains.
The Conservatives mentioned the assertion was “extra of the identical” whereas Labour accused SNP ministers of losing public funds after 18 years in energy.
The programme for presidency units out the coverage and legislative objectives for the following parliamentary 12 months.
It’s often printed after the summer time recess, however Swinney moved the date this 12 months to “allow a full 12 months to supply” earlier than the Holyrood election.
He mentioned the NHS would ship an additional 100,000 appointments in GP surgical procedures targeted on “key threat components corresponding to hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol, weight problems and smoking”.
The primary minister mentioned his authorities was “dedicated to not solely rising GP numbers however defending Scotland’s benefit which implies considerably extra GPs per head right here in Scotland in contrast with elsewhere within the UK”.
The announcement, coming simply 9 months after the final programme for presidency, was gentle on proposed laws.
Swinney as an alternative frolicked emphasising his authorities’s earlier report.
Among the many concrete measures included within the programme for presidency doc was a dedication to scrap peak rail fares on nationalised ScotRail trains.
A earlier pilot scheme was axed by the federal government final 12 months, with ministers citing low passenger numbers.
Ministers additionally say they may finish an alcohol ban on ScotRail trains.
Forward of the announcement, Swinney confronted questions on anti-social behaviour related to a scheme giving everybody beneath the age of twenty-two a free bus cross.
The federal government confirmed it was engaged on a scheme to droop, or doubtlessly completely take away, passes from these participating in anti-social behaviour.
Swinney instructed MSPs youngster poverty and tackling cost-of-living pressures had been additionally amongst his priorities.
It got here after figures launched in March confirmed the Scottish authorities had missed its authorized targets for decreasing youngster poverty.
The Scottish authorities introduced in December that it will successfully offset the two-child profit cap north of the border by April 2026, or earlier if potential.
The cap, launched by the UK authorities in 2017, prevents mother and father from claiming common credit score or youngster tax credit score for greater than two youngsters, with just a few exemptions.
Swinney mentioned his authorities was “on observe” to ship funds to affected households by subsequent 12 months.
He mentioned the federal government would publish a baby poverty motion plan for 2026 to 2031 “to maintain us on the journey to satisfy our poverty discount targets for 2030”.
To assist stimulate the economic system, the primary minster introduced a six-point export plan “to allow Scottish exporters to diversify and develop markets”.
He additionally mentioned ministers would arrange funds for analysis initiatives and start-ups.
The SNP chief mentioned the Scottish authorities would enhance funding to the Acorn carbon seize venture past a earlier £80m cap – if given the go-ahead by the UK authorities.
‘Extra of the identical’
Scottish Conservative chief Russell Findlay described the programme for presidency as “flimsy” and “extra of the identical”.
He instructed MSPs that it “would do little to revive public belief”.
Labour chief Anas Sarwar mentioned billions of kilos of public cash had been “wasted by the SNP” throughout its time in energy, calling the announcement “embarrassing”.
He added: “This assertion fails to satisfy the challenges or ambitions of the folks of Scotland.”
