18th October 2007
Free
Personal Care for Pensioners at Risk Following SNP Inaction
MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan
McNeil, has slated the SNP for failing to speak up for pensioners after a senior
judge blamed SNP Ministers for his decision to exempt a council from paying for
free personal care for a pensioner in a private nursing home.
Argyll & Bute Council
asked for a court to review a decision by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
that they had a duty to provide funding for the personal care of a resident over
65 in a private care home.
In July this year, the court
invited SNP Ministers to submit evidence to this review, which they subsequently
refused to do, saying that it was nothing to do with them.
Lord MacPhail today gave his
verdict, finding in favour of the council. However in his summing up, Lord
MacPhail criticised the SNP government, saying that their failure to give
evidence was one of his reasons for finding against the petitioner.
Following this, local Mr
McNeil said:
"The SNP have let down
all of Scotland’s pensioners and their families. There are very serious implications for the future of
universal and free personal care.
"Alex Salmond and his
Ministers couldn't find the time to defend free personal care. They must now
explain what they will do to ensure that pensioners across Greenock and
Inverclyde continue to benefit from this scheme.
"If only the SNP were
not fixated on causing fights and splits they might have been able to help
Scottish pensioners. They should be ashamed of their failure to do so."
ENDS
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