SNP FIVE POINT PLAN FOR SCOTLAND'S PENSIONERS

SNP FIVE POINT PLAN FOR SCOTLAND'S PENSIONERS

SNP MANIFESTO FIGHTS FOR FAIR DEAL IN THE FAIR CITY

VOTE SNP FOR A £100M BOOST FOR SCOTTISH PENSIONERS

SNP Leader and Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond today (Thursday)
joined SNP candidate for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart to
campaign in the town centre as they launched the SNP’s five point plan for
Scotland’s pensioners.

Mr Salmond and Mr Wishart were joined by a team of senior activists as
they highlighted SNP manifesto pledges to ensure a dignified and
comfortable retirement for Scotland’s pensioners, including;

· Guarantee protection of free personal care from London party
cuts

· Protect concessionary travel scheme

· Resist any plans to scrap attendance allowance in Scotland
to fund elderly care in England

· Increase the state pension in line with earnings

· Campaign for changes to the system of cold weather payments so
it more closely reflects Scottish needs and circumstances and
increases support for individuals in Scotland.

Commenting, Alex Salmond said:

“We’re in the Fair City today fighting for a fair deal for Scotland’s
older folk.

"In government, the SNP has extended concessionary bus travel and fully
funded free personal care for the elderly. We have seen more central
heating systems installed and enhanced support for all Scotland’s
veterans.

“Our message at this election is simple: more Nats means less cuts, and in
a balanced parliament the more SNP MPs there are the stronger Scotland’s
voice will be.

“At this election a vote for the SNP is a vote for local champions who
will protect and secure the free bus travel and free personal care older
folk in our community rely on.

“Labour thought nothing of threatening 170,000 of Scotland’s elderly with
the removal of attendance allowance. The SNP in Westminster and in
Holyrood fought against that, and our manifesto sets out a further series
of commitments to ensure a dignified and comfortable retirement for our
citizens.

“SNP MPs will press for the restoration of the link between the state
pensions and earnings – bringing a much needed £100m boost to older folk.
The Tories cut the link and Labour failed to reinstate it. The SNP will
not allow them to let Scotland’s pensioners down again

“More Nats will also mean a stronger voice in London, campaigning
alongside the Scottish Government for changes to cold weather payments to
reflect the real situation faced by many of Scotland’s pensioners against
high fuel costs and colder weather.

“It’s an absolute scandal that in an oil-rich country like Scotland, older
people who have contributed all their lives have to choose between heating
their homes and eating well. In the next Parliament the SNP will ensure a
fair deal for our pensioners is at the top of the agenda

"Instead of frittering away hundreds of millions on the ineffective and
undemocratic House of Lords every year, the UK Government should be
ensuring a decent standard of living for pensioners.

“Lifelong voters for other parties are turning to the SNP because they
know that a vote for the SNP on May 6th is a vote for a national champion
who will fight for a decent state pension and protect the services the
older members of our community rely on.”

SNP candidate for Perth and North Perthshire Pete Wishart added:

“The tide of this election has well and truly turned and the prospect of a
balanced parliament has now become the likelihood of a balanced
parliament.

“Never before has a vote for the SNP had the potential to achieve so much.

“In a balanced parliament, every MP counts and a strong block of SNP MPs
can win for Scotland and protect the services which are so important to
our communities.”

SNP FIVE POINT PLAN FOR SCOTLAND’S PENSIONERS

· Guarantee protection of free personal care from London party cuts

· Protect concessionary travel scheme

· Resist any plans to scrap attendance allowance in Scotland to fund
elderly care in England

·Increase the state pension in line with earnings

· Campaign for changes to the system of cold weather payments so it
more closely reflects Scottish needs and circumstances and increases
support for individuals in Scotland.

SNP Delivering for Scotland’s Pensioners

Concessionary fares : More than one million people will be eligible
for new concessionary bus passes that allow travel anywhere in
Scotland under an expansion of the service which has previously been
run by local authorities.

Free Personal Care: The Scottish Government has accepted each and
every one of Lord Sutherland’s recommendations - including the added
financial commitment of an extra £40 million per year improving the
lives of over 50,000 older vulnerable people in Scotland.

Energy Assistance Package: By the end February 2010, over 52,500
households had taken up offer of help under EAP. Benefits checks had
achieved over £1m in extra income for pensioners and identified over
£630,000 in potential income for families Over 7,000 heating systems
measures had been delivered

Support for veterans includes a commitment published in May this year
to offer free bus travel for those who have been seriously injured on
duty by 2011 and a Scottish Veterans Fund, backed by £240,000, to fund
projects that provide a range of help for veterans.