THE SNP’s ambitious plans to establish a “fairer Scotland” have been revealed in a new report.
The party’s Social Justice and Fairness Commission has proposed a range of sweeping reforms, including moves to decriminalise drugs for personal use, scrap council tax and eradicate poverty.
The new report sketches out a route map to a more just society based on a “renewed social contract”.
Led by MSPs Shona Robison and Neil Gray, the it shows what could be achieved with the full powers of independence but also suggests progressive moves using devolved powers.
The commission was set up in 2019 and focuses on six key areas – poverty, pensions, workers’ rights, tax, drugs policy and immigration and asylum.
It comes as Nicola Sturgeon prepares to set out her government’s top priorities for the new parliamentary term in Holyrood tomorrow, including a commitment to indyref2.
The commission proposes a plan to “eradicate” poverty. First, it calls for the Government to use devolved powers to repair “holes” in the UK welfare system by reversing policies such as the two-child limit, the rape clause and the five-week wait for Universal Credit.
The commission says an independent Scotland should scrap Tory government welfare policies altogether and replace them with more progressive programmes, including the pilot of Universal Basic Income and Minimum Income Guarantee schemes.
It states: “We contend that eradicating poverty in Scotland is the single most important ambition that the government of an independent Scotland could seek to achieve.”
The commission also argues several reforms should be considered on pensions, including lowering the age eligibility for pension credit and paying the “new state pension” rate to all pensioners.
The report reads: “This would mean increasing the Basic State Pension to the New State Pension rate, from £134.25 to £175.20.”
To help workers, the commission demands “exploitative” zero-hour contracts are scrapped, as well as “fire and rehire” practices and unpaid trial shifts.
It proposes the real living wage should replace the state minimum wage and advocates “rolling back” on David Cameron’s anti-trade union legislation.
The report also signals support for a shortened working week, stating: “With a fair work agenda, and the increased productivity it creates, there is a strong argument for introducing greater provision for a four-day week.”
On tax, the commission says those who are better off should “carry a bigger share of the load” to help prevent those with less being “plunged into deeper depths of poverty and despair”.
Replacing the “dysfunctional” Westminster system, the proposals would see “sin taxes” introduced on products such as tobacco and alcohol, as well as environmentally harmful activities.
The report backs “excess profits tax” on sectors that have benefited from the pandemic and supports moves to consider a Land Value Tax, which could be part of a wider plan to “ultimately remove” council tax.
To tackle the country’s drugs deaths crisis, the commission proposes the establishment of a citizens’ assembly on the issue and backs safe consumption spaces.
“We would propose utilisation of a Citizens’ Assembly to look at issues such as decriminalisation for personal use, which we could advance with independence in our efforts to tackle addiction,” the report states.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon expected to address indyref2 as she unveils new priorities
It calls for the Scottish Government to explore “every avenue” to permit safe consumption areas under devolved legislation. To help to do this, the commission proposes setting up an independent body to review the laws under Holyrood’s control.
The report also supports the expansion of residential rehabilitation services.
On immigration and asylum, the commission says an independent could “dismantle” the Tory government’s “hostile environment” strategy.
It says movement of people should be encouraged to parts of the country which have a declining or ageing population.
The commission supports a “clear right to work” for asylum seekers, the creation of a new agency to deal with applications and the reinstatement of free movement of people.
Commission chief Gray said: “Alongside all those who contributed to the commission, I believe we have delivered a blueprint, a route map to a more socially just Scotland, one that focuses on how we should make policy decisions that can help us build a fairer and happier society.
“The proposals we set out are only options. Whether all or any of them are taken forward are political decisions and choices for future governments in Scotland to make. The time and pace of any such change will be determined by future Scottish governments according to the circumstances of the day.”
He added: “And while we consider the opportunities in the short term and what is achievable with the powers of devolution, the report has a clear focus on how much more we can achieve with independence.
“Clearly, the balance of priorities and resources are key to decision making, now and after independence. It is not always possible to do everything at the same time, so while there is appetite for swift progress, we have attempted to offer some insight into what we believe our earliest priorities should be. We have also set out a number of general ambitions we would like Scotland to pursue, but which will probably take a little longer.”
The proposals won tentative support from Scottish Labour, but they called for the SNP to go further.
The party’s finance spokesman, Daniel Johnson, said: “Labour agrees with much of this report and will work with the SNP where there is agreement.
“We do need to tackle drug deaths. We do need a humane asylum policy. And we do need fair work principles. But we also need honesty from the SNP.
“We know that the SNP’s blueprint for independence; the ‘Growth Commission’, sets out a plan to fund separation through cuts to public services.
“This contradicts the wish-list on display here. While the SNP play fantasy economics, Labour will continue to fight for equality now.”
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