Nicola Sturgeon should promise to bring in Frank’s Law if she is serious about creating a fairer society, says an MSP.
The First Minister will reveal her plans for new laws over the coming year in the programme for government on Tuesday.
She will scrap the public sector cap, according to reports, in a legislative package that comes on the back of a summer of soul-searching by SNP high command after a disappointing general election result.
Miles Briggs, the Scottish Conservative MSP, urged her to commit to Frank’s Law, which would abolish care charges for under-65s with debilitating conditions.
“Nicola Sturgeon always claims she wants to create a fairer society in Scotland,” said Mr Briggs, whose own Frank’s Law bill is under consultation.
“There would be no better way of demonstrating that than ending the unfair age discrimination currently faced by those with conditions like dementia, but happen to be under 65.”
The campaign, which is backed by The Courier, is run in memory of Frank Kopel, the late Dundee United left-back.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “We are already committed to examining the extension of free personal and nursing care to those under 65, while protecting existing provision.
“We have carried out a feasibility study to consider the costs, benefits, challenges and consequences of extending free personal care, including consideration of the additional demand for care likely to be created and the relationship with social security provision. This will be published shortly.”