Nicola Sturgeon insisted her flagship free personal care policy for under 65s will be “implemented in full” after the campaigner behind the scheme accused the SNP Government of lying over funding.
Amanda Kopel, the widow of ex Dundee United footballer Frank Kopel, earlier complained that funds for the free personal care policy in his name was not guaranteed.
Mr Kopel was diagnosed with dementia aged 59 and had to pay £300 a week for carers because free support was only available to over 65s.
His wife campaigned for six years to introduce Frank’s Law to extend free personal care to those under the age of 65.
The law came into force on April 1 2019.
However, the government admitted £30 million of funding for it is not ring-fenced, meaning it could be used by councils to pay for other things in their budget.
In Holyrood on Thursday, the first minister insisted Ms Kopel had not been misled.
‘I don’t consider she was misled’
Ms Kopel was in the public gallery in parliament for First Minister’s Questions when Conservative MSP Maurice Golden put her accusations directly to Ms Sturgeon.
Mr Golden, quoting Ms Kopel, said: “This makes a total mockery of the campaign battle for Frank’s Law and the buck stops with the Scottish Government.
“No matter what excuse it comes up with, ministers need to explain why I was misled in this way, or dare I say it even lied to.
“That was Amanda Kopel’s reaction when she heard the SNP had broken their promise to double ring-fence the funding for Frank’s Law.
“She is in the public gallery – why was she misled in this way?”
The first minister thanked Ms Kopel for her campaigning and said: “I don’t consider she was misled but I am happy to speak to her directly.”
Frank’s Law will be implemented in full.
– Nicola Sturgeon
Ms Sturgeon continued: “Frank’s Law will be implemented in full and funding has been made available – but more importantly it is a statutory entitlement so that is the law.
“It is really important for obvious reasons to reiterate this commitment.
“It will be implemented, and implemented in full.”