Jo defends Free Personal Care for the Elderly

12.00.00am GMT Tue 10th Feb 2004

Jo Swinson responded to comments made by Sam Galbraith, the previous Labour MP and MSP for Strathkelvin & Bearsden, who wants to scrap the free personal care for the elderly introduced by the Liberal Democrats.

Jo said:

"Free personal care for the elderly gives Scotland's elderly people dignity in old age. Yes, the Liberal Democrats fought hard in the Scottish Parliament to deliver on this key manifesto commitment, and I'm proud that we did. In East Dunbartonshire alone there are over 17,000 pensioners who benefit from knowing they will not have to pay for their personal care."

Sam Galbraith, writing in Holyrood magazine, called the policy of free personal care for the elderly a "ticking time bomb" and said it should be scrapped.

Maureen O'Neill, director of Age Concern Scotland, praised the policy:

"It is a very successful policy and it absolutely sold the power of devolution. I think the Scottish Parliament has to be congratulated on their forward thinking on this one."